The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Device \De*vice"\, n. [OE. devis, devise, will, intention,
   opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and
   estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in
   sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr.
   deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n.]
   1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance;
      an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to
      deceive; a stratagem; an artifice.
      [1913 Webster]

            His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. --Jer.
                                                  li. 11.
      [1913 Webster]

            Their recent device of demanding benevolences.
                                                  --Hallam.
      [1913 Webster]

            He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. --Job v.
                                                  12.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance.
      [1913 Webster]

            I must have instruments of my own device. --Landor.
      [1913 Webster]

   3.
      (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or
          more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic
          bearings to denote the historical situation, the
          ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See
          Cognizance.
      (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing.
          [1913 Webster]

                Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by
                devices on their shields.         --Addison.
          [1913 Webster]

                A banner with this strange device
                Excelsior.                        --Longfellow.
          [1913 Webster]

   4. Anything fancifully conceived. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A spectacle or show. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. Opinion; decision. [Obs.] --Rom. of R.

   7. any artifactual object designed to perform an action or
      process, with or without an operator in attendance.
      [PJC]

   Syn: Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project;
        stratagem; shift.

   Usage: -- Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of
          inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and
          dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference
          to something worked out for exhibition or show; a
          contrivance usually respects the arrangement or
          disposition of things with reference to securing some
          end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their
          shields; contrivances are generally used to promote
          the practical convenience of life. The word device is
          often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device;
          contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as,
          a useful contrivance.
          [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

device
    n 1: an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the
         device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device
         intended to conserve water"
    2: something in an artistic work designed to achieve a
       particular effect
    3: any clever maneuver; "he would stoop to any device to win a
       point"; "it was a great sales gimmick"; "a cheap promotions
       gimmick for greedy businessmen" [syn: device, gimmick,
       twist]
    4: any ornamental pattern or design (as in embroidery)
    5: an emblematic design (especially in heraldry); "he was
       recognized by the device on his shield"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

728 Moby Thesaurus words for "device":
   AM receiver, AM tuner, AM-FM receiver, AM-FM tuner, CB,
   Charlie McCarthy, Fathometer, Flexowriter typewriter,
   Geiger counter, John Hancock, RDF, X, X-ray microscope, ability,
   achievement, action, ad hoc measure, agency, agent,
   airborne controls, alerion, alibi, alphabetic character,
   alternator, amplifier, anagnorisis, ancilla, angle, animal charge,
   annulet, anode, answer, apology, apparatus, appliance, approach,
   architectonics, architecture, argent, argument, armature,
   armorial bearings, armory, arrangement, art, artful dodge,
   artifice, asiaticism, atmosphere, attack, attribute, auto radio,
   autoclave, autoconverter, autograph, automatic pilot,
   automatic pistol, automatic printer, automatic sight,
   automatic sprinkler, automatic stop, automatic telephone,
   automaton, autostarter, autotransformer, aviation radio, azure,
   background, badge, bag of tricks, bandeau, banner, bar,
   bar sinister, baton, battery charger, battery radio, bearings,
   behind-the-scenes influence, bend, bend sinister, billet, blazon,
   blazonry, blind, blueprint, blueprinting, bluff, bordure, bosey,
   broad arrow, broom, brush, cadency mark, calculation, calutron,
   canton, cap, capacitor, capacity, capital, carpet sweeper,
   catastrophe, catch, catchword, cathode, chaplet, character,
   characteristic, characterization, charge, charger, charting,
   chevron, chicanery, chief, choking coil, chouse, christcross,
   cipher, citizens band, cloak, coat of arms, cockatrice, cognizance,
   coil, colophon, color, comb, commutator, compensator, complication,
   conception, condenser, conspiracy, continuity, contraption,
   contrivance, controller, converter, coronet, countermark,
   countermove, countersign, countersignature, counterstamp, coup,
   coupling, course of action, cover, cover story, cover-up, craft,
   creation, creature, crescent, crest, cross, cross moline, crown,
   crystal set, currycomb, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, cutout,
   cytoanalyzer, deceit, demarche, denouement, depth sounder, design,
   desire, development, devices, diathermy machine, dielectric heater,
   dielectric preheater, difference, differencing, differentia,
   dingus, dirty deal, dirty trick, dishcloth, dishwasher,
   disposable resources, disposition, distributor, dodge, doormat,
   dummy, dupe, duster, dustpan, dynamo, dynamotor, eagle, earmark,
   effort, electric eye, electrocardiograph, electrode,
   electroencephalograph, electrograph, electron lens,
   electron microscope, electronic air filter, electronic altimeter,
   electronic battery, electronic clock, electronic computer,
   electronic detector, electronic drum, electronic fuel gauge,
   electronic heater, electronic nutcracker, electronic oscillator,
   electronic refrigerator, electronic timer, electronic typewriter,
   electrophorus, electrophotometer, electroscope, emblem,
   endorsement, enterprise, envisagement, epigraph, episode, epithet,
   ermine, ermines, erminites, erminois, escutcheon, euphuism, excuse,
   expedient, expedients, fable, facade, facecloth, fakement, falcon,
   falling action, fancy, fast deal, feint, fess, fess point, fetch,
   ficelle, field, figurative language, figurativeness, figure,
   figure of speech, figuring, file, flanch, fleur-de-lis, floridity,
   flourish, flower, flowery style, foresight, forethought, fret,
   front, funds, fur, fuse, fusil, gadget, galvanic pile,
   galvanoscope, gambit, game, garland, generator, gimcrack, gimmick,
   gizmo, gloss, go-between, going between, googly, graph, grapheme,
   graphing, grid, griffin, grift, ground, ground plan,
   guided missile, guidelines, guise, gules, gyron, gyroscopic pilot,
   hackle, hairbrush, hallmark, hand, hand tool, handkerchief, handle,
   handmaid, handmaiden, hatchment, hearing aid, helmet,
   heraldic device, hickey, high-frequency heater, hocus-pocus,
   holystone, honor point, hose, idea, idiosyncrasy, ignition, image,
   image dissector, imagery, impalement, impaling, implement,
   improvisation, incident, inclination, index, indicant, indicator,
   induction heater, inductor, inescutcheon, influence,
   infrared cooker, infrared telescope, initials, inscription,
   insignia, instrument, instrumentality, insulator, intention,
   interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermediation,
   intermedium, interrupter, intrigue, invention, isotron, joker,
   juggle, jugglery, jumper, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, keynote,
   knavery, label, lame excuse, last expedient, last resort,
   last shift, layout, legend, letter, lever, lever pilot,
   lexigraphic character, lie detector, lightning rod, line, lineup,
   lion, little game, local color, locus standi, logo, logotype,
   long-range plan, lozenge, machination, machine, machinery, magnet,
   magnetic recorder, magneto, magnetoscope, makeshift, maneuver,
   maneuvering, maneuvers, manipulation, manner of speaking, mantling,
   mapping, mark, mark of signature, marshaling, martlet, mascle,
   mask, mass spectrograph, mass spectrometer, mass spectroscope,
   master plan, means, measure, mechanical device, mechanical heart,
   mechanism, mediation, mediator, medium, metal, method, methodology,
   midwife, minion, monogram, mood, mop, motif, motive,
   motor-generator, motto, move, movement, mullet, multiplex receiver,
   mythos, napkin, neon light, neon tube, nombril point,
   nonliterality, nonliteralness, note, octofoil, operations research,
   or, ordinary, organ, organization, orle, ornament, oscillator,
   oscillograph, oscilloscope, ostensible motive, outlet, pacemaker,
   pale, paly, pass, pattern, pawn, pean, peculiarity, peripeteia,
   pheon, phonetic character, phonetic symbol, photoelectric counter,
   photoelectric recorder, photoelectric sorter, photoflash bulb,
   pictographic character, picture, pile, pis aller, plan, planning,
   planning function, play, plaything, pleasure, plot, ploy, plug,
   pocket, pocket radio, points, political influence, polygraph,
   poor excuse, power, power tool, preamplifier, prearrangement,
   precision tool, pretense, pretension, pretext, procedure, program,
   program of action, property, protestation, public motive,
   pumice stone, puppet, purple passage, purpure, push button,
   put-off, quarter, quartering, racket, radar, radar controls, radio,
   radio direction finder, radio telescope, radio-frequency heater,
   radio-record player, radiophone, radiosonde, railroad radio, rake,
   rationalization, reactor, receiver, receptacle, recognition,
   recourse, recourses, rectifier, red herring, refuge,
   regenerative receiver, relay, relay receiver, representation,
   representative, resistance box, resistor, resort, resorts,
   resource, resources, rheostat, rising action, robot pilot,
   robot plane, robot submarine, rose, ruse, sable, saltire, schedule,
   schema, schematism, schematization, scheme, scheme of arrangement,
   scraper, screen, scrub brush, scrubber, scurvy trick, scutcheon,
   seal, secondary plot, self-starter, selsyn, semblance, servant,
   service, serviette, setup, shake-up, sham, shield, shift,
   ship-to-shore radio, show, shunt, sigil, sign, sign manual, signal,
   signature, signet, slant, slave, sleight, sleight of hand,
   sleight-of-hand trick, slogan, smoke screen, socket, solution,
   sonar, spark coil, spark plug, spectrophotometer, speed tool,
   speedometer, sponge, spread eagle, stalking-horse, stamp, starter,
   step, step-down transformer, stereo, stock, stooge, stopgap, story,
   stratagem, strategic plan, strategy, stroke, stroke of policy,
   structure, subject, subordinary, subplot, subscription, subterfuge,
   sudarium, superheterodyne, supply, sure sign, swab, switch,
   syllabic, symbol, symptom, synchronous converter, system,
   systematization, table radio, tactic, tactical maneuvers,
   tactical plan, tactics, tag line, tap, telltale sign,
   temporary expedient, tenne, terminal, the big picture, the picture,
   thematic development, theme, thermal timing relay, thingumajig,
   time switch, time-delay relay, timer, tincture, toggle switch,
   tone, tool, toothbrush, toothpick, topic, torse, towel, toy, trait,
   transceiver, transformer, transmit-receiver, tressure, trick,
   trickery, trickle charger, trope, trump, tuner, turn of expression,
   twist, type, unicorn, utensil, vacuum cleaner, vair, varnish,
   vehicle, veil, vert, visa, vise, voltage changer,
   voltage regulator, voltage transformer, walkie-talkie, washboard,
   washer, washing machine, watcher, watchword, way, way of speaking,
   ways, ways and means, weapon, wherewith, wherewithal, whim, whisk,
   widget, wile, will, wily device, wire-pulling, wisp,
   working hypothesis, working plan, working proposition, wreath,
   wringer, writing, written character, yale



The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

peripheral
device
peripheral device

    (Or "peripheral device", "device") Any part of a
   computer other than the CPU or working memory,
   i.e. disks, keyboards, monitors, mice, printers,
   scanners, tape drives, microphones, speakers,
   cameras, to list just the less exotic ones.

   High speed working memory, such as RAM, ROM or, in the
   old days, core would not normally be referred to as
   peripherals.  The more modern term "device" is also more
   general in that it is used for things such as a pseudo-tty,
   a RAM drive, or a network adaptor.

   Some argue that, since the advent of the personal computer,
   the motherboard, hard disk, keyboard, mouse, and monitor
   are all parts of the base system, and only use the term
   "peripheral" for optional additional components.

   (2002-09-03)