mechanic
Americannoun
-
mechanics
plural
-
a person who repairs and maintains machinery, motors, etc..
an automobile mechanic.
-
a worker who is skilled in the use of tools, machines, equipment, etc.
-
Slang. a person skilled in the dishonest handling of cards, dice, or other objects used in games of chance.
noun
-
a person skilled in maintaining or operating machinery, motors, etc
-
archaic a common labourer
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mechanic
1350–1400; Middle English: mechanical < Latin mēchanicus < Greek mēchanikós, equivalent to mēchan ( ḗ ) machine + -ikos -ic
Explanation
A mechanic is a person who builds or repairs engines or other machines. Mechanics are trained to use special tools and often work in shops or garages. If you are planning to be a mechanic, you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty. The most common type of mechanic works on vehicles like cars, motorcycles, tractors, or airplanes. If your car is making a strange noise, you should probably take it to a mechanic. The oldest meaning of this word was simply "laborer," or "person who works with his hands," from the Greek root mekhanikos, "engineer." The current sense of mechanic came into use along with the popularity of the automobile.
Vocabulary lists containing 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.
See Examples For:
The mechanic would often help repair the show’s signature vehicle, an orange 1969 Dodge Charger known as General Lee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
"Chinese brands are very clear about where our future lies," said Zhang, a former mechanic who claims he can assemble an engine with his eyes closed.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
She instructed ChatGPT to act like a mechanic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Whittle was born in Coventry in 1907 and joined the RAF in 1923, training as an aircraft mechanic and graduating from RAF Cranwell as an officer in 1928.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Now even their parents were too swift to talk about Onyeka, his good mechanic job in town, his bicycle, his good behavior, as if he were already a member of the family.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Quantum mechanics has long challenged the familiar idea that an object must occupy one precise place at a given moment.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
That’s because Tugboat throws from an unusually low angle that opponents aren’t accustomed to seeing, with mechanics that allow him to effectively hide the ball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
This week, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she too was beginning the process of freezing her eggs, documenting the daily mechanics of giving herself hormone shots on social media.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Swaths of stubborn flies bother his mechanics as they work, and he’s had to redo paint jobs and clear coats tainted by the thick dust from the warehouse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Weeks are spent on the design and mechanics.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
