mechanical
Americanadjective
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having to do with machinery.
a mechanical failure.
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being a machine; operated by machinery.
a mechanical toy.
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caused by or derived from machinery.
mechanical propulsion.
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using machine parts only.
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brought about by friction, abrasion, etc..
a mechanical bond between stones; mechanical erosion.
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pertaining to the design, use, understanding, etc., of tools and machinery.
the mechanical trades; mechanical ability.
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acting or performed without spontaneity, spirit, individuality, etc..
a mechanical performance.
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habitual; routine; automatic.
Practice that step until it becomes mechanical.
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belonging or pertaining to the subject matter of mechanics. mechanics.
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pertaining to, or controlled or effected by, physical forces.
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(of a philosopher or philosophical theory) explaining phenomena as due to mechanical action or the material forces of the universe.
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subordinating the spiritual to the material; materialistic.
noun
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a mechanical object, part, device, etc.
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Printing. a sheet of stiff paper on which has been pasted artwork and type proofs for making a printing plate; paste-up.
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Obsolete. a skilled manual laborer, as a carpenter or other artisan.
adjective
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made, performed, or operated by or as if by a machine or machinery
a mechanical process
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concerned with machines or machinery
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relating to or controlled or operated by physical forces
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of or concerned with mechanics
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(of a gesture, etc) automatic; lacking thought, feeling, etc
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philosophy accounting for phenomena by physically determining forces
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(of paper, such as newsprint) made from pulp that has been mechanically ground and contains impurities
noun
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printing another name for camera-ready copy
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archaic another word for mechanic
Other Word Forms
- mechanicalism noun
- mechanicality noun
- mechanically adverb
- mechanicalness noun
- nonmechanical adjective
- nonmechanically adverb
- nonmechanicalness noun
- quasi-mechanical adjective
- quasi-mechanically adverb
- semimechanical adjective
- supermechanical adjective
- supermechanically adverb
- unmechanical adjective
- unmechanically adverb
Etymology
Origin of mechanical
1375–1425; late Middle English, equivalent to mechanic mechanical + -al 1; mechanic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Christmas Eve 2024, a mechanical problem prompted the evacuation of skiers from a lift.
In both cases, the actin band collapsed without microtubules, demonstrating that these structures provide crucial mechanical support and signaling during band formation and contraction.
From Science Daily
Coal plants, which can’t easily shut down and restart, either operate at a loss during those hours or ramp down to levels that are inefficient and cause mechanical wear and tear, Dorris said.
After a year of testing at night, the researchers found that the compact device could generate at least 400 milliwatts of mechanical power per square meter.
From Science Daily
Her offense: asking whether the card’s insurance protection would cover the $900-a-night hotel she booked in St. Thomas when her flight was canceled because of a mechanical issue.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
