mechanic
Americannoun
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mechanics
plural
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a person who repairs and maintains machinery, motors, etc..
an automobile mechanic.
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a worker who is skilled in the use of tools, machines, equipment, etc.
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Slang. a person skilled in the dishonest handling of cards, dice, or other objects used in games of chance.
noun
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a person skilled in maintaining or operating machinery, motors, etc
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archaic a common labourer
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mechanic
1350–1400; Middle English: mechanical < Latin mēchanicus < Greek mēchanikós, equivalent to mēchan ( ḗ ) machine + -ikos -ic
Explanation
A mechanic is a person who builds or repairs engines or other machines. Mechanics are trained to use special tools and often work in shops or garages. If you are planning to be a mechanic, you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty. The most common type of mechanic works on vehicles like cars, motorcycles, tractors, or airplanes. If your car is making a strange noise, you should probably take it to a mechanic. The oldest meaning of this word was simply "laborer," or "person who works with his hands," from the Greek root mekhanikos, "engineer." The current sense of mechanic came into use along with the popularity of the automobile.
Vocabulary lists containing mechanic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This peer-to-peer label creates the false impression that John, a bartender in New Jersey, is betting against Steve, a car mechanic in Texas, at a price only the two have agreed upon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
A mechanic, former union leader, and Navy veteran, Osborn is running as an independent with the backing of the state’s Democratic Party.
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
"The haze has a big impact on us, especially on health and the economy, with our income decreasing," said Marzuki, a 38-year-old mechanic who like many in Indonesia, goes by only one name.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Two years later, they assumed co-ownership of the auto mechanic shop in Jurupa Valley that Ortiz Jara had worked at for 20 years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
I take pictures of the mechanic shop on the way to school.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
“Rips represent a natural new vertical for online sports betting and iGaming operators, given similar gaming or lottery mechanics and customer demographics,” the analysts said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026
Their motion follows the unusual laws of quantum mechanics rather than the familiar rules of classical physics.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2026
"We are creating a momentum where both sides are learning the… mechanics of how to actually keep the peace when the peace comes," he added.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
“It invests the states with responsibility for the mechanics of congressional elections,” unless Congress adopts a different rule.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
This was the state of the art in the mid-1800s, and it seemed to mesh perfectly with the laws of statistical mechanics.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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