apparatus vs contrivance

apparatus

noun
  • A complex machine or instrument. 

  • An assortment of tools and instruments. 

  • The entirety of means whereby a specific production is made existent or task accomplished. 

  • A vehicle used for emergency response. 

  • A bureaucratic organization, especially one influenced by political patronage. 

  • Any of the equipment on which the gymnasts perform their movements. 

  • A complex, highly modified weapon (typically not a firearm); a weaponized “Rube Goldberg machine.” 

contrivance

noun
  • A (mechanical) device to perform a certain task. 

  • Something overly artful or artificial. 

  • A means, such as an elaborate plan or strategy, to accomplish a certain objective. 

How often have the words apparatus and contrivance occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )