A gadget is simply any ingenious new invention or mechanically engineered object. Gadgets can be called gizmos in many contexts, including those with “something special” for the person who needs it. In technical use, the word means anything handy, portable, useful or interesting that tends to solve some problem or provide some benefit. A gourmet chef might describe a gadget as a cooking instrument that is both useful and stylish.
The word gadget originates from the German word gager which means a small but sharp-edged instrument or utensil. The word was first used in the 17th century as an adjective meaning clever or handy. The word gadget shows up in literature as a slang for something interesting or pretty unusual. It occurs in science fiction works (like those by Jules Verne and H. G. Wells), music (in the word transistor radio), and cooking (as in gadgetry).
This is probably why, when we hear the term gidget, the image of a pocket watch springs to mind. On the other hand, the image of a pocket watch is linked to the word gaudet which means finely made or fancy. The word gaudet means pretty or charming, therefore the image of gazettes, which are tiny, pocket-sized objects, comes to mind. This image belongs to the genre of figurative art. This genre of art originated in the late renaissance period and later became highly fashionable in Europe and America.
Gadgets were first used in telephones and then telephone booths, but they developed into electronic appliances after World War II. For example, the first widely used electric appliance in the USA was the electric toothbrush. A toothbrush is a small electrical device, which is used to clean the teeth. It is invented by someone or something that is newly invented. An electric gadget need not actually be invented by someone or something new.
GADGET is the French word for gadget, which is now used as a term to describe any small electrical appliance. Most of these electrical appliances are used in automobiles, mobile phones, toys, games consoles, kitchen gadgets, sports equipment, radio and TV transmitters, DVD players, and personal computers. Gadgets are also sometimes called “tools”, “accessories” or “appliances”. They are sometimes necessary accessories to other things such as clothes dryers, shoes breathable air cleaners, watches and glasses. In technical terms, a gadget is an object which combines technological and non-technical functionality.
The first word gadget that comes to our mind is the one that has a description. In the past, to use a certain gadget meant to buy it. It was a great innovation that helped in increasing the speed and quality of our lives. These days, the meaning of GADGET has changed. The definition of GADGET has changed from being a useful object into a synonym for anything that can be used without the need to have an explanation. Today, a GADGET is not a handy tool to increase the efficiency of our lives but it means something that can be used without any further information.