deus ex machina
Americannoun
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(in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements of the plot.
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any artificial or improbable device resolving the difficulties of a plot.
noun
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(in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the plot
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any unlikely or artificial device serving this purpose
Etymology
Origin of deus ex machina
1690–1700; < New Latin literally, god from a machine (i.e., stage machinery from which a deity's statue was lowered), as translation of Greek apò mēchanês theós (Demosthenes), theòs ek mēchanês (Menander), etc.
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.
Although some have deluded themselves into thinking the contrary, there will be no deus ex machina moment to stop this from happening.
From Salon • Dec. 10, 2024
The production, which was at the Park Avenue Armory earlier this season, has arrived at the St. James Theatre in the role of deus ex machina, rescuing Broadway from its hidebound habits.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024
“Perhaps the deus ex machina here is AI.”
From Seattle Times • Jun. 29, 2023
The Jammu and Kashmir deposits have been widely celebrated as a deus ex machina for India’s flagging climate-protection hopes.
From Slate • Feb. 28, 2023
Every Greek drama needs a deus ex machina.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
