Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Latin
Origin: , past participle of apparare 'to prepare', from ad- 'to' + parare 'to prepare'

apparatus

 noun
     
ap‧pa‧ra‧tus
1 [uncountable] the set of tools and machines that you use for a particular scientific, medical, or technical purpose [= equipment]:
Astronauts have special breathing apparatus.
2 [countable] the way in which a lot of people are organized to work together to do a job or control a company or country [= machinery]:
The tax will require a massive administrative apparatus.
The state apparatus has become corrupt.
the apparatus of government
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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