sewing machine

American

noun

any of various foot-operated or electric machines for sewing or making stitches, ranging from machines with a shuttle for a spool of thread and a needle for sewing garments to industrial machines for sewing leather, book pages together, etc.

sewing machine British

noun

any machine designed to sew material. It is now usually driven by electric motor but is sometimes operated by a foot treadle or by hand

"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

Etymology

Origin of sewing machine

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

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.

In 1833, he invented a lock-stitch sewing machine that used two threads, one passing through a loop in the other, with both threads interlocking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Alavi was given a range of equipment including a sewing machine, fabric and cash for a solar panel -- essential in a country where power cuts are commonplace.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Amanda says she feels like "a new woman" now that she can cut material and use her sewing machine again.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

“I do like pillows,” Hamilton says, noting that he recently bought a sewing machine so he can make his own soft furnishings.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2025

She made quilts in her craft room, and the hum of the sewing machine could be heard throughout the downstairs.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023