mechanical

[ muh-kan-i-kuhl ]
See synonyms for mechanical on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. having to do with machinery: a mechanical failure.

  2. being a machine; operated by machinery: a mechanical toy.

  1. caused by or derived from machinery: mechanical propulsion.

  2. using machine parts only.

  3. brought about by friction, abrasion, etc.: a mechanical bond between stones; mechanical erosion.

  4. pertaining to the design, use, understanding, etc., of tools and machinery: the mechanical trades; mechanical ability.

  5. acting or performed without spontaneity, spirit, individuality, etc.: a mechanical performance.

  6. habitual; routine; automatic: Practice that step until it becomes mechanical.

  7. belonging or pertaining to the subject matter of mechanics.

  8. pertaining to, or controlled or effected by, physical forces.

  9. (of a philosopher or philosophical theory) explaining phenomena as due to mechanical action or the material forces of the universe.

  10. subordinating the spiritual to the material; materialistic.

noun
  1. a mechanical object, part, device, etc.

  2. Printing. a sheet of stiff paper on which has been pasted artwork and type proofs for making a printing plate; paste-up.

  1. Obsolete. a skilled manual laborer, as a carpenter or other artisan.

Origin of mechanical

1
1375–1425; late Middle English, equivalent to mechanic mechanical + -al1; see mechanic

Other words from mechanical

  • me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • me·chan·i·cal·ness, me·chan·i·cal·i·ty, noun
  • non·me·chan·i·cal, adjective
  • non·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • non·me·chan·i·cal·ness, noun
  • qua·si-me·chan·i·cal, adjective
  • qua·si-me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • sem·i·me·chan·i·cal, adjective
  • su·per·me·chan·i·cal, adjective
  • su·per·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • un·me·chan·i·cal, adjective
  • un·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for mechanical

mechanical

/ (mɪˈkænɪkəl) /


adjective
  1. made, performed, or operated by or as if by a machine or machinery: a mechanical process

  2. concerned with machines or machinery

  1. relating to or controlled or operated by physical forces

  2. of or concerned with mechanics

  3. (of a gesture, etc) automatic; lacking thought, feeling, etc

  4. philosophy accounting for phenomena by physically determining forces

  5. (of paper, such as newsprint) made from pulp that has been mechanically ground and contains impurities

noun
  1. printing another name for camera-ready copy

  2. archaic another word for mechanic (def. 2)

Derived forms of mechanical

  • mechanicalism, noun
  • mechanically, adverb
  • mechanicalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012