Contraptions are often handmade or improvised, showing inventiveness rather than bought from a store. She used a contraption made of old pipes to water her garden.
Pro Tip 2/3
Slightly Amusing
'Contraption' often hints that the device is odd, quirky, or amusing in its complexity or appearance. His bicycle had a contraption attached to hold an umbrella overhead.
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Functional Specificity
A contraption is usually designed for a specific function, possibly one that no regular device performs. The gardener built a contraption to scare away crows.