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

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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

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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

Early on, the braking mechanism was harsh and the trucks sometimes unexpectedly stopped when approaching an overpass.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Although the experiments were conducted in fruit flies and mice, the researchers believe the underlying mechanism could eventually help scientists develop new approaches to preserving muscle strength and mobility in humans.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

You can’t depend on it as a kind of law-enforcing mechanism, and that may be the scariest thing of all.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

It has no enforcement mechanism, and previous efforts by Singapore to hold companies linked to wildfires legally culpable have also stalled.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

But in scientific language, a word conveys more than an idea—a mechanism, a consequence, a prediction.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

That deal was officially "aimed at assisting the authorities in securing mining sites, improving tax collection mechanisms and curbing cross-border smuggling of minerals", the group's report added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

We can be fairly certain that any cooperation between the museum and the film production came with the understanding that no actual security mechanisms would even be hinted at.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

She added that feelings of blame and guilt were "very common" during bereavement and could lead to "destructive" coping mechanisms.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Cancer also involves abnormal cell behavior, including failures in the mechanisms that ordinarily regulate cell growth and division.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

The system of communications used in science should provide a neat, workable model for studying mechanisms of information-building in human society.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

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Related Words

• agency
• operation
• procedure
• process
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