Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ACCOUTREMENTS
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pronounce
ACCOUTREMENTS:
Say it "uh KOO truh munts."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Think back to the sport or activity you loved best as a kid, and see if you can list all the accoutrements you needed for it. Were some of them heavy, bulky, or hard to clean?
My daughter does cheerleading now, so her accoutrements are pretty simple and portable: vest, skirt, socks, sneakers, hair bow, pom poms, water bottle. The kiddos who do football, though, have some pretty hefty accoutrements to lug around.
While we're talking about accoutrements, see if you can recall this close synonym:
App__ten__ces are accessories or pieces of equipment: the extra bits and pieces that go along with some main thing.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
If you squint at the word "accoutrements," you can kind of see the Latin bits meaning "things that are sewn together." (Suere means "to sew"--keep squinting so you can see how suere morphed into "coutre"--and of course com means "together.")
The Latin word traveled through French on its way to English, though, so the spelling got a little complicated, but the general meaning is the same.
Accoutrements are things you use to dress yourself, or equip yourself. In other words, your accoutrements are the various things you wear or use when you participate in some activity.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "The accoutrements of photography can get expensive."
Other forms:
If you prefer, use the more English-looking spelling: "accouterment."
The singular noun is rare: "accoutrement."
The verb forms are even rarer. You can "accoutre" or "accouter" someone with things, meaning you equip them or dress them up for some specific purpose. The other forms are "accoutred"/"accoutered" and "accoutring." How about we just say "equip," "equipped," and "equipping"?
how to use it:
When you need a bolder, rarer, saucier word for "attire," "accessories," or "equipment," pick "accoutrements.'' It has that French, fancy style that's useful if you're trying to sound extra-formal, whether you're being serious or sarcastic.
Talk about "the accoutrements of" something, or just "all the accoutrements:" "the accoutrements of fajitas," "the accoutrements of preschool," "wealth and all its accoutrements."
Accoutrements are often physical objects, but they can also be abstract things, like ideas, beliefs, achievements, traditions, routines, etc. Here's Time: "[James Bond] was born grown up. Viewers could assume an aristocratic background and an Oxbridgean education, but those social accoutrements mattered less than his choice in wines and guns."
You can talk about a singular accoutrement; it's just rare. Here's Jonathan Lethem: "He wore his jacket with doomy fear—not a bad accouterment, actually, to his punk aura."
examples:
"Like all BMWs, the M3 sedan is utilitarian on the inside--and that's a good thing. All accoutrements--from the tachometer and multi-function M-specialized steering wheel to the adjustable arm rests--are focused on empowering the driver."
— Hannah Elliott, Forbes, 25 March 2010
"[Her jacket] went down to her mid-waist, and her wrists stuck out. She looked like a puffy purple pauper. Her mom then produced a hot pink hat with purple stars embroidered on it and sparkly silver strands in the puff on top, and hot pink mittens to match. Hazel could only dress herself slowly in her own brightly hued humiliation... As soon as she crossed through the front door [of the school], she shed herself of the accoutrements of her absurdity, and had to fight the urge to dump them behind a wastebasket."
— Anne Ursu, Breadcrumbs, 2011
has this page helped you understand "accoutrements"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "accoutrements" without saying "accessories" or "trappings."
try it out:
Check out this example from Salon:
"The most perfect way to eat [a tomato] is, of course, the simplest — bite into it like an apple and feel the taut, slick skin give way to juicy and acidic flesh. From there, you can add a variety of accoutrements (or fixins, as my grandmother likely would've said with a wink). The perfect tomato sandwich, for instance, is just white bread, Duke's mayonnaise and a sprinkle of salt."
Talk about another ingredient--maybe a fruit, a veggie, a nut, or a cheese--that's delightful on its own or with accoutrements.
While we're at it, see if you can explain what kind of situation calls for the word "accoutrements" rather than "fixins." If any.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Apt Adjective Anagrams!
I'll invent a person's name and a brief description, and you unscramble the letters in their name to form an adjective that aptly describes the person or the person's situation.
For example: Carl Rebe has three advanced degrees. You rearrange the letters in "Carl Rebe" to form the adjective "cerebral," meaning "brainy, smart, or intellectual.” Sentimental movies always bring Martin Devesto to tears? He’s demonstrative. Lilian Tulip is dainty in the extreme? She’s lilliputian. Tia Fauns runs a sweatshop and is filthy rich? Perhaps she made a bargain with the devil, because her lifestyle is Faustian.
To see the answer, scroll all the way down.
Try this one today: Don't get Stan Par any wall art or knickknacks for Christmas: all he wants is a pair of nice, clean white socks. No, not a dozen, just one pair.
review this word:
A. DENY.
B. STRIP.
C. SUMMARIZE.
2.
A writer for Salon pointed out that wealthy fictional supervillains often lack accoutrements in their homes and lairs, displaying a _____ way of living.
A. lonely, solitary
B. minimalistic, spartan
C. crude, anti-intellectual
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
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36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Think back to the sport or activity you loved best as a kid, and see if you can list all the accoutrements you needed for it. Were some of them heavy, bulky, or hard to clean?
Part of speech:
When you need a bolder, rarer, saucier word for "attire," "accessories," or "equipment," pick "accoutrements.'' It has that French, fancy style that's useful if you're trying to sound extra-formal, whether you're being serious or sarcastic.
"Like all BMWs, the M3 sedan is utilitarian on the inside--and that's a good thing. All accoutrements--from the tachometer and multi-function M-specialized steering wheel to the adjustable arm rests--are focused on empowering the driver."
Explain the meaning of "accoutrements" without saying "accessories" or "trappings."
Check out this example from Salon:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |