machine tool

American  

noun

1. a power-operated machine, as a lathe, used for general cutting and shaping of metal and other substances.

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machine tool British  

noun

1. a power-driven machine, such as a lathe, miller, or grinder, that is used for cutting, shaping, and finishing metals or other materials

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Other Word Forms

• machine-tooled adjective

Etymology

Origin of machine tool

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Manufacturers report persistent shortages of machine tool operators and technicians who can repair complex new equipment, skills that take time and training to learn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

The deal will alleviate fears, including in the country's famed watch industry and machine tool sector, of any lasting impact of the devastating tariff hike.

From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025

The staff grew to seventeen, including what the writer Robert Marks later described as “Polish sheet metal experts, Italian machine tool men, Scandinavian woodcraftsmen, and former Rolls-Royce coach makers.”

From Slate • Aug. 2, 2022

Logos for Haas Automation, the CNC machine tool manufacturing company Haas founded, will be on his two cars at this week’s F1 test in Bahrain.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 6, 2022

As before said, the entire function of this most effective machine tool is self-acting.

From James Nasmyth: Engineer; an autobiography by Smiles, Samuel