Skip to main content
PlainSpell

appliance

ap·pli·ance/əˈplaɪ.əns/noun

appliance is spelled A-P-P-L-I-A-N-C-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables (ap·pli·ance). It appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, appliance means “An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of appliance is appliances.

How many letters and syllables are in appliance?

Letters9: A-P-P-L-I-A-N-C-E
Syllables3: ap·pli·ance
In writing2.2 times per million words; the 18,297th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is appliance?

Appliance appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce appliance?

  • /əˈplaɪ.əns/

Appliance has 3 syllables, split ap·pli·ance in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-appliance.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of appliance

  • appliances plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does appliance mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially

  2. 2

    A non-manual apparatus or device, powered electrically or by another small motor, used in homes to perform domestic functions (household appliance) and/or in offices.

    Many house fires are caused by faulty appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines and dryers.

  3. 3

    An attachment, a piece of equipment to adapt another tool or machine to a specific purpose.

  4. 4

    obsoleteThe act of applying.

  5. 5

    obsoleteA means of eliminating or counteracting something undesirable, especially an illness.

  6. 6

    obsoleterareWilling service, willingness to act as someone wishes.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Appliance in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchappareil (a device in its own right), appareil électrique (an implement, instrument or apparatus)
GermanGerät, Apparat (a device in its own right), Haushaltsgerät, Vorrichtung, Anordnung (an implement, instrument or apparatus)
Portugueseaparelho, dispositivo (a device in its own right)
Spanishelectrodoméstico, aparato (a device in its own right), implemento, instrumento, enseres (an implement, instrument or apparatus)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does appliance come from?

Recorded since the 1560s. From the English apply + -ance.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after appliance