Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mechanism” come from?

Mechanism comes from Latin mechanismus, derived from Ancient Greek μηχανή meaning "device or machine," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European megʰ- meaning "to be able or help."

mechanism (English): Any mechanical means for the conversion or...

Definitions

  1. Any mechanical means for the conversion or...

Ancestry of “mechanism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1New Latinmechanismus—
2Ancient Greekμηχανήcontrivance, machine, device, gear; way, means
3Ancient Greekμῆχοςmeans, expedient, remedy
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵʰ-—

Words derived from “mechanism”

  • mechanistic
  • mechanistically
  • mechanist
  • servomechanism
  • pathomechanism
  • nonmechanistic
  • biomechanist
  • antimechanistic
  • micromechanism
  • biomechanism
  • antimechanist
  • multimechanistic
  • neuromechanism
  • antimechanism
  • nonmechanistically
  • unmechanistic
  • nanomechanism
  • pathomechanistic
  • telemechanism
  • メカニズム
  • mekanismo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European meǵʰ- →