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

The scandal has fanned questions about board oversight at Nvidia, which lacks a chairman, a named successor and a board refreshment mechanism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

Understanding this protective mechanism could have important implications for diseases involving excessive or poorly controlled inflammation.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Greater clarity on potential changes to the surcharge mechanism could also ease concerns over the temporary relief, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

Cheadle says, "A protective mechanism may exist within the female that could be harnessed to help the male. We're trying to understand how autism emerges in both sexes," he explains.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

Evolution and adaptation were bundled together into one continuous mechanism: adaptation was evolution.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

To retain Huang at the helm, it may need to put in place new mechanisms or structures for monitoring national security risks that are credibly independent of him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

Prominent companies and individuals have also recently called for mechanisms that would allow AI labs and countries to slow development in a coordinated way to buy time for alignment research.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

When muscle repair mechanisms become impaired, recovering lost strength and function can become especially challenging.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

It said affected outlets had "outdated security systems, with interfaces exposed directly to the internet and weaknesses in authentication mechanisms".

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

Other variation, such as that in seed dispersal mechanisms or seed dormancy, would have gone unrecognized by humans before the rise of modern botany.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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Related Words

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

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