Plural of apparatus; systems, devices, or organizations designed to perform specific functions. This can mean physical machines or the organizational structure of a system.
From Latin 'apparatus' (preparation, equipment), past participle of 'apparare' (to prepare). The word entered Middle English via Old French. It originally meant 'readiness' or 'preparation,' then evolved to mean the tools or systems that make preparation possible.
The fact that 'apparatus' works for both a microscope AND a government intelligence system shows how metaphorical thinking works—we see complex organizations as machines with parts that need coordination.
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