a machine or piece of equipment that does a specific job in the home, such as cooking, cleaning, or keeping food cold
Maria unboxed her brand-new appliance and placed it on the kitchen counter.
During the power outage, none of the appliances in the house would turn on.
✦ From apply + -ance; originally meaning ‘application or act of applying’, later extended to mean a device that applies power to perform a task.
a device fitted to the body by a medical professional to correct, support, or protect, such as braces or a hearing aid
The orthodontist tightened Lena’s dental appliance during her monthly check-up.
After his accident, Tom wore an ankle appliance to keep the joint stable.
✦ Transferred sense from general ‘device’ to specialized medical use in the late 19th century.
