mechanism

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word mechanism. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word mechanism, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say mechanism in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word mechanism you have here. The definition of the word mechanism will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofmechanism, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

Learned borrowing from New Latin mechanismus, from Ancient Greek μηχανή (mēkhanḗ, “machine”).

Pronunciation

Noun

mechanism (countable and uncountable, plural mechanisms)

  1. (within a machine or machinery) Any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power.
  2. Any combination of cams, gears, links, belts, chains and logical mechanical elements.
    • 2012 March, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, pages 112–3:
      A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place.
  3. A group of entities, such as objects, that interact together.
    • 2015 December 21, Michael D. Geschwind, “Prion Diseases”, in Continuum (Minneap Minn), →DOI:
      A very rare polymorphism in the prion protein gene recently has been identified that appears to protect against prion disease; this finding, in addition to providing greater understanding of the prionlike mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders, might lead to potential treatments.
    • 2023 March 22, 'Industry Insider', “Restoring Your Railway”, in RAIL, number 979, page 68:
      Outside the boundaries of the PTEs [Passenger Transport Executives], there was little mechanism to re-open routes, and despite a growing realisation that the lack of transport connectivity was a big contributor towards social deprivation and poor economic performance, there was little government policy recognition.
  4. A mental, physical, or chemical process.
  5. Any process of, or system designed to manage useful energy conversion.
  6. (philosophy) The theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by physical causes.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Welsh: mecanism

Translations

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia