Appliance
/əˈplaɪ.əns/noun
A device or piece of equipment designed to perform a specific task, especially in the home.
Did you know?“Appliance” comes from the same Latin root as “pliable,” “pliant,” and “comply,” all ultimately tied to the idea of bending, folding, or yielding—language that once carried a strong sense of submission.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
plicāre
“to fold, bend, weave”
Late Latin
Latin
applicāre
“to fold toward; attach; apply”
Old French
Old French
apliance
“application, act of applying oneself; compliance”
Middle English
English
appli(a)unce
“application; readiness or willingness to do something”
Modern English
English
appliance
“a device or implement used for a specific purpose”