mechanical

[ muh-kan-i-kuh l ]

/ məˈkæn ɪ kəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mechanical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having to do with machinery: a mechanical failure.

being a machine; operated by machinery: a mechanical toy.

caused by or derived from machinery: mechanical propulsion.

using machine parts only.

brought about by friction, abrasion, etc.: a mechanical bond between stones; mechanical erosion.

pertaining to the design, use, understanding, etc., of tools and machinery: the mechanical trades; mechanical ability.

acting or performed without spontaneity, spirit, individuality, etc.: a mechanical performance.

habitual; routine; automatic: Practice that step until it becomes mechanical.

belonging or pertaining to the subject matter of mechanics.

pertaining to, or controlled or effected by, physical forces.

(of a philosopher or philosophical theory) explaining phenomena as due to mechanical action or the material forces of the universe.

subordinating the spiritual to the material; materialistic.

noun

a mechanical object, part, device, etc.

Printing. a sheet of stiff paper on which has been pasted artwork and type proofs for making a printing plate; paste-up.

Obsolete. a skilled manual laborer, as a carpenter or other artisan.

RELATED WORDS

regularly

Nearby words

meccano, mech., mechan-, mechanic, mechanic's lien, mechanically, mechanical advantage, mechanical alternation, mechanical antidote, mechanical bank, mechanical drawing

Origin of mechanical

1375–1425; late Middle English, equivalent to mechanic mechanical + -al¹; see mechanic

Related forms

me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverbme·chan·i·cal·ness, me·chan·i·cal·i·ty, nounnon·me·chan·i·cal, adjectivenon·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb

non·me·chan·i·cal·ness, nounqua·si-me·chan·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·me·chan·i·cal, adjectivesu·per·me·chan·i·cal, adjectivesu·per·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverbun·me·chan·i·cal, adjectiveun·me·chan·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mechanically

“Keeping in contact with those people, and mechanically getting them to the trial, those are the hard parts,” Risner said.
Drug Smuggler Sues U.S. Over Dog Bite|Caitlin Dickson|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What about allowing a school to manually or "mechanically" restrain students?
Bill Maher Finds the Worst Congressman in America|Ana Marie Cox|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“First we targeted the tanks and the jeeps with IEDs,” he said mechanically, as if recalling a combat briefing.
Did Israel Execute Jihadists in Gaza?|Jesse Rosenfeld|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This process can be mechanically assisted by deep belly massages and, yes, colonic irrigation.
My Week At An Austrian Fat Camp|Owen Matthews|October 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST

It is simply unrealistic to say that judges can decide every case by mechanically applying a rigid algorithm.
Chief Justice John Roberts’s Ruling Restores Faith in the Court’s Neutrality|Laurence Tribe|June 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Millner, as mechanically, took one of the virginally cinctured cigars, and began to undo its wrappings.
Tales Of Men And Ghosts|Edith Wharton
Mechanically his hand again thrust the pick under the projecting rock.
Peasant Tales of Russia|V.I. Nemirovitch-Dantchenko
Then mechanically, almost unconsciously, she began the story again.
The Californians|Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton
Nevertheless, all the way home Bob mechanically repeats the search and wonders how he will get money to carry out his plan.
The Graysons|Edward Eggleston
She mechanically fingered the pasteboard and stared straight ahead.
Freckles|Gene Stratton-Porter

British Dictionary definitions for mechanically

mechanical

/ (mɪˈkænɪkəl) /

adjective

made, performed, or operated by or as if by a machine or machinerya mechanical process

concerned with machines or machinery

relating to or controlled or operated by physical forces

of or concerned with mechanics

(of a gesture, etc) automatic; lacking thought, feeling, etc

philosophy accounting for phenomena by physically determining forces

(of paper, such as newsprint) made from pulp that has been mechanically ground and contains impurities

noun

printing another name for camera-ready copy

archaic another word for mechanic (def. 2)

Derived Formsmechanicalism, nounmechanically, adverbmechanicalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mechanically

mechanical

adj.

early 15c., "of or pertaining to machines," from mechanic (adj.) + -al (1); of persons or human actions, "resembling machines, automatic" it is from c.1600. Related: Mechanically. Mechanical-minded is recorded from 1820.

Medicine definitions for mechanically

mechanical

[ mĭ-kăn′ĭ-kəl ]

adj.

Operated or produced by a mechanism or machine.

Relating to, produced by, or dominated by physical forces.

Interpreting and explaining the phenomena of the universe by referring to causally determined material forces; mechanistic.

mechanical

adjective

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of mechanical

Examples from the Web for mechanically

British Dictionary definitions for mechanically

mechanical

adjective

noun

Word Origin and History for mechanically

mechanical

Medicine definitions for mechanically

mechanical

adj.