machinery

[muh-shee-nuh-ree]

noun

plural

machineries 

1. an assemblage of machines or mechanical apparatuses.

   the machinery of a factory.

2. the parts of a machine, collectively.

   the machinery of a watch.

3. a group of people or a system by which action is maintained or by which some result is obtained.

   the machinery of government.

   Synonyms: setup, structure, organization

4. a group of contrivances for producing stage effects.

5. the group or aggregate of literary machines, especially those of supernatural agency epic machinery in an epic poem.

machinery

/ məˈʃiːnərɪ /

noun

1. machines, machine parts, or machine systems collectively

2. a particular machine system or set of machines

3. a system similar to a machine

   the machinery of government

4. literary devices used for effect in epic poetry

Other Word Forms

• antimachinery adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of machinery¹

First recorded in 1680–90; machine + -ery

Example Sentences

If the tech industry were a bakery, dysprosium would be like baking powder: It is used in small quantities but essential for enabling electric-car motors, wind turbines, military systems and computer-chip machinery.

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Data collected by National Bank Financial indicate that inflation-adjusted spending by businesses on machinery and equipment hit its lowest level in over four decades in the second quarter.

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Arun Roy, Tamil Nadu’s industry secretary, said the state government came out in support of Ford in the courts, granted it permission to close and allowed the company to remove some machinery from the factory.

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Canadian officials said this week that increasing business investment is near the top of policy priorities, after years of lackluster spending on machinery, equipment and software.

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Other key areas also faltered, including exports of industrial machinery and equipment, which declined for the first month in four.

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Related Words

• apparatus 
• appliance 
• engine 
• equipment 
• gear 
• instrument 
• motor 
• system 
• tool 
• utensil 
• vehicle