Paraphernalia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paraphernalia refers to items and articles required for specific activities.

Paraphernalia may refer to:

• Gardening paraphernalia would include spades, hoes, augers, etc.
• Drug paraphernalia, any equipment, product, or material for making, using, or concealing illegal drugs
• Items carried in a pocketbook may be referred to as paraphernalia.
• Historically, personal items that a bride retained as her own in times when a married woman's property vested in her husband - see Women in the Victorian era.

The origin of the word is in ancient Greek (para + pherne), 'things additional to a dowry'. In the propertied classes, a dowry was placed under the control of the husband, but was returned to the woman's family if the marriage ended in divorce or the death of either party, but the 'paraphernalia' which she brought with her remained her property.