contraption

Possibly a Western US English dialectal word of unknown origin. Perhaps from contrive + trap + -tion, while also possibly approximating construction. Chambers suggests contrivance + adaption.^[1] Neither Chambers nor Concise Oxford suggests a US origin. Compare cantrip, cantrap (Scots dialect), a wilful piece of trickery.

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /kənˈtɹæp.ʃən/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (General Australian):

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• Hyphenation: con‧trap‧tion

contraption (plural contraptions)

1. A machine that is complicated and precarious.
2. (figuratively, derogatory or ironic) Any object.
   • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:

     “Yes, sir, if that was the language of love, I'll eat my hat,” said the blood relation, alluding, I took it, to the beastly straw contraption in which she does her gardening, concerning which I can only say that it is almost as foul as Uncle Tom's Sherlock Holmes deerstalker, which has frightened more crows than any other lid in Worcestershire.

• (mechanical device): contrivance, device, fandango, gadget, mechanism, construction