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

"This critical gap led our team to screen food-derived compounds for natural, dietary interventions. During the screening, we identified pterostilbene and focused our investigation on uncovering its precise mechanism of action."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026

They developed a pump mechanism and gravity-free tank that works no matter what angle the brush is held at to control the flow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

"We really need a dedicated mechanism... which works around the clock," disaster specialist Saswata Sanyal told AFP.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Home ownership also usually comes with mortgage payments that create a forced-saving mechanism, gradually building equity in the home.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

He doesn’t hear me over the screeching of the rusted mechanism.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

“Songs and tunes, unmoored from formal commercial and legal mechanisms, give succeeding singers and players the freedom to reshape those pieces,” Mr. Wade writes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Sundararajan says the designation should bring faster clearances, emergency repair mechanisms and an Indian cable-repair capability, along with legally protected cable zones around landing sites and routes, restricting anchoring and trawling.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Khanal said the disaster underlined the "impetus and urgency" needed to build data-sharing mechanisms to help warn of future disasters, noting that neighbouring China had shared key data after the flood.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Two newly identified biomarkers included in the score point to an important role for the so-called brain-heart axis and suggest that the condition develops through mechanisms that are separate from atherosclerosis.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

Have you ever tried to sleep while a pint-size maniac is rattling off hundreds of detailed inquiries about the web-spinning mechanisms of the common barn spider?

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

Related Words

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