mechanism

American  

[mek-uh-niz-uhm] / ˈmɛk əˌnɪz əm /

noun

mechanisms plural

1. an assembly of moving parts performing a complete functional motion, often being part of a large machine; linkage.

2. the agency or means by which an effect is produced or a purpose is accomplished.

3. machinery or mechanical appliances in general.

4. the structure or arrangement of parts of a machine or similar device, or of anything analogous.

5. the mechanical part of something; any mechanical device.

   the mechanism of a clock.

6. routine methods or procedures; mechanics.

   the mechanism of government.

7. mechanical execution, as in painting or music; technique.

8. the theory that everything in the universe is produced by matter in motion; materialism.

9. Philosophy.

   1. the view that all natural processes are explicable in terms of classical mechanics.

   2. the view that all biological processes may be described in physicochemical terms.

10. Psychoanalysis. the habitual operation and interaction of psychological forces within an individual that assist in interpreting or dealing with the physical or psychological environment.

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mechanism British  

/ ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. a system or structure of moving parts that performs some function, esp in a machine

2. something resembling a machine in the arrangement and working of its parts

   the mechanism of the ear

3. any form of mechanical device or any part of such a device

4. a process or technique, esp of execution

   the mechanism of novel writing

5. philosophy

   1. the doctrine that human action can be explained in purely physical terms, whether mechanical or biological

   2. the explanation of phenomena in causal rather than teleological or essentialist terms

   3. the view that the task of science is to seek such explanations

   4. strict determinism Compare dynamism vitalism

6. psychoanal

   1. the ways in which psychological forces interact and operate

   2. a structure having an influence on the behaviour of a person, such as a defence mechanism

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antimechanism
  noun
• mechanismic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mechanisms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mechanism

First recorded in 1655–65; from New Latin mēchanismus; Late Latin mēchanisma “contrivance,” from Greek mēchan(ḗ) machine + New Latin -ismus, Late Latin -isma -ism

Explanation

Use the word mechanism to describe a process that has been set up to accomplish a particular goal. If you’ve set up a method for dealing with your sister when she annoys you, then you have a mechanism in place for establishing peace with your sister. The word mechanism came into the English language in the seventeenth century by way of the Latin word mechanismus, which traces back to the Greek word mekhane, meaning “device" or "means.” Mechanism still carries with it the meaning of “device” and can be used to describe a machine, but nowadays you are more likely to hear it used to describe a process for getting something done, such as "a mechanism for generating revenue" or "a crisis-resolution mechanism."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mechanism mechanisms

As a coping mechanism later on, her daughter, now 10 years old, would ask the teacher for permission to take bathroom breaks, time she would then use to take a walk through the hallways.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

"I think partially maybe those gratitude letters were another mechanism of him saying, how can you go against me if you are thanking me all the time?"

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Here is how the mechanism would work — and in some places, already does.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

"Our study indicates that humans may have this same kind of mechanism to transmit mechanical itch," Duan said.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

If you look at a clock or a watch from the outside you can tell that there is a mechanism which turns the hands.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

The study was designed to investigate biological mechanisms.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

These were strong mechanisms of control, she says.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

“The timing and the mechanisms by which those commodities end up affecting our food prices are much more varied, and they take much more time to occur,” Volpe said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

Pakistan instructed Ervin Graves to work on efforts "for the resumption of... appropriate high-level bilateral defence and security dialogue mechanisms".

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

Hence there must be other mediating proximate mechanisms as well.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• agency
• operation
• procedure
• process
• system
• technique