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

Efforts to refine the lacklustre Cali Fund -- a UN mechanism for sharing profits from corporations that use genetic data from plants and other organisms -- have also proved difficult.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The mechanism they developed involves what is essentially a contractual promise with California’s Franchise Tax Board for illiquid billionaires to pay the tax when they become liquid, even if they have since left the state.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Her lab found a protein on the surface of zebrafish eggs which pointed to a lock-and-key mechanism for allowing the sperm in.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

But they explain an important mechanism: Amazon could handle growth with fewer additional labor hours.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

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

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

"While the practical mechanisms will be developed on the go, the new MPs will stick to the students' 1200-page long and detailed plan," he told the BBC.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

These mechanisms are used, among other things, to deploy wing flaps during the plane's landing approach, helping to slow the aircraft.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

"Future research will help clarify the mechanisms involved and whether these microbial signatures may eventually contribute to precision approaches for promoting long-term health and wellness."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026

By suppressing certain immune responses, they can also interfere with the mechanisms that normally protect the body from viral infections.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026

The system of communications used in science should provide a neat, workable model for studying mechanisms of information-building in human society.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

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Related Words

• agency
• operation
• procedure
• process
• system
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