appareil, engin, machin
Who was the idiot who invented this contraption?
Quel idiot a bien pu inventer cette machine infernale ?
— Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears (1980)
Cross the contraption out, we're not taking the contraption.
Raye le bidule, on ne prend pas le bidule.
— Kin-dza-dza! (1986)
What do you call that contraption?
Comment appelle-t-on cet engin ?