contrivance vs gimmick

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. 

gimmick

noun
  • A trick or device used to attain some end. 

  • A night out with one's friends. 

  • A gimmick capacitor. 

  • A clever ploy or strategy. 

verb
  • To rig or set up with a trick or device. 

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