What does device mean?
A device is an object or mechanism created or adapted to serve a particular purpose, most commonly a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment — from kitchen gadgets to smartphones and medical instruments. Beyond hardware, the word also covers abstract tools: a plan or stratagem intended to bring about a result, and in literature or rhetoric, a deliberate technique such as metaphor, irony, or foreshadowing that shapes how an audience responds. The idiom 'to leave someone to their own devices' means to leave them alone to manage as best they can. Derived through Old French from Latin roots relating to dividing out or arranging, the noun is closely related to the verb 'devise', which means to invent or work something out. In contemporary English, 'device' carries a neutral connotation, but its frequent pairing with words like 'mobile' and 'electronic' has made it one of the most common ways to refer to personal technology.
An object, machine, or instrument made or adapted for a specific purpose, particularly electronic equipment.
"The lab uses a handheld device to measure air quality."
In legal contexts, 'device' may refer to any contrivance claimed in a patent.
A plan, method, or stratagem adopted to achieve an end; also, a technique in literature or rhetoric producing a desired effect.
"The film's twist ending is a well-worn narrative device."
This sense often appears in fixed phrases like 'literary device' and 'rhetorical device'.
Standard regular plural. Used freely for both physical objects and abstract schemes or techniques.
"All electronic devices must be switched off during takeoff."
The phrase 'left to your own devices' once meant being left with only your wits — literally, your own plans and schemes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of device
The word 'device' entered English via Old French 'devis', meaning division, plan, or intention, ultimately deriving from the Latin verb 'dividere', meaning to divide or separate. It originally carried senses of design, intention, and invention before narrowing toward its modern emphasis on constructed objects and techniques. Its sibling form, the verb 'devise', shares the same origin and retains the sense of planning or inventing. Cognates appear across the Romance languages, reflecting the same Latin root that also gave English 'divide' and related terms.
Related word forms
How device is actually used
Neutral in register, though 'device' for a person (as in a pawn or agent of another's will) is now rare and somewhat formal. In modern usage, 'device' very often implies electronic equipment such as phones, tablets, and computers, especially in technology and legal contexts.
Easily confused with device
'Device' is a noun meaning an object or scheme, while 'devise' is a verb meaning to invent or plan something.