mechanic
Americannoun
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a person who repairs and maintains machinery, motors, etc..
an automobile mechanic.
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a worker who is skilled in the use of tools, machines, equipment, etc.
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Slang. a person skilled in the dishonest handling of cards, dice, or other objects used in games of chance.
noun
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a person skilled in maintaining or operating machinery, motors, etc
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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:
For a long time, teeing it up at a major alongside the world's best golfers was nothing more than a pipe dream for the trained mechanic from county Cork.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Hire an independent mechanic to look at the vehicle.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
But many cars lack such records, so the only way to know if the air bag is an authentic one is to have a mechanic check the part.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
As a pioneer and legend of the real-life import car scene, my mechanic wasn’t the villain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
During his time in America, Quirin had worked as a handyman, chauffeur, and mechanic.
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
The more restrictive the ADR conversion mechanics, the wider the premium will be.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Many South Africans, eager to understand the mechanics of the alleged corruption, hope Matlala may hold the answers.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Those wanting to officiate high-school and collegiate-level sports typically need to take classes in rules and mechanics, followed by tests that lead to certification.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Ohtani said then that he suspected issues with his pitching mechanics were to blame for the injury.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Germany had dominated science in the early twentieth century: it had been the crucible of atomic physics, quantum mechanics, nuclear chemistry, physiology, and biochemistry.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
