Dictionary
1mechanical
adjective me·chan·i·cal \mi-ˈka-ni-kəl\
: of or relating to machinery
: having or using machinery
: happening or done without thought or without any effort to be different or interesting
Full Definition of MECHANICAL
1
a (1) : of or relating to machinery or tools <mechanical applications of science> <a mechanical genius> <mechanical aptitude> (2) : produced or operated by a machine or tool <mechanical power> <a mechanical refrigerator> <a mechanical saw> b : of or relating to manual operations
2
: of or relating to artisans or machinists <the mechanical trades>
3
a : done as if by machine : seemingly uninfluenced by the mind or emotions : automatic b : of or relating to technicalities or petty matters
4
a : relating to, governed by, or in accordance with the principles of mechanics <mechanical energy> b : relating to the quantitative relations of force and matter <mechanical pressure of wind on a tower>
5
: caused by, resulting from, or relating to a process that involves a purely physical as opposed to a chemical or biological change or process <mechanical erosion of rock>
— me·chan·i·cal·ly \-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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First Known Use of MECHANICAL
15th century
Related to MECHANICAL
- Synonyms
- instinctive, instinctual, involuntary, knee-jerk, mechanic, automatic, robotic, spontaneous
- Antonyms
- nonmechanical
Synonym Discussion of MECHANICAL
spontaneous, impulsive, instinctive, automatic, mechanical mean acting or activated without deliberation. spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness <a spontaneous burst of applause>. impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment <impulsive acts of violence>. instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will <blinking is an instinctive reaction>. automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response <his denial was automatic>. mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response <a mechanical teaching method>.
Other Mechanical Engineering Terms
Rhymes with MECHANICAL
2mechanical
noun
Definition of MECHANICAL
1
obsolete : mechanic 1
2
: a piece of finished copy consisting typically of type proofs and artwork positioned and mounted for photomechanical reproduction
First Known Use of MECHANICAL
1600
Rhymes with MECHANICAL
MECHANICAL[2] Defined for Kids
mechanical
adjective me·chan·i·cal \mi-ˈka-ni-kəl\
Definition of MECHANICAL for Kids
1
: of or relating to machinery <He has mechanical skill.>
2
: made or operated by a machine <a mechanical toy>
3
: done or produced as if by a machine <Charles Wallace … started to walk in a strange, gliding, mechanical manner. — Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time>
— me·chan·i·cal·ly adverb
Medical Dictionary
mechanical
adjective me·chan·i·cal \mi-ˈkan-i-kəl\
Medical Definition of MECHANICAL
1
: relating to the quantitative relations of force and matter <mechanical pressure exerted by the bubbles in the tissues—H. G. Armstrong>
2
: caused by, resulting from, or relating to physical as opposed to biological or chemical processes or change <mechanical injury> <mechanical asphyxiation>
—me·chan·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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