English
mechanicalization
Mechanicalization comes from Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’, and goes back to Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανή1mēkhanḗ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανικός1mēkhanikós‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēchanicus1‘mechanic’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecanique1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanic1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanical1
- English1500–presentmechanical1
- Englishtodaymechanicalization1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English mechanicalization
Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανήWiktionary, English mechanicalizationmēkhanḗ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανικόςWiktionary, English mechanicalizationmēkhanikós‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēchanicusWiktionary, English mechanicalization‘mechanic’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecaniqueWiktionary, English mechanicalization
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanicWiktionary, English mechanicalization
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanicalWiktionary, English mechanicalization
- English1500–presentmechanicalWiktionary, English mechanicalization
- EnglishtodaymechanicalizationWiktionary, English mechanicalization
A compound of mechanical + -ization
Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
…
Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’
Old French mecanique
Middle English mechanic
Middle English mechanical
English mechanical
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’
may, might, main, yay, magician, dismay, mower, mage, magus, yayo, 79 more
through Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
through Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’
through English mechanical
Today it means
noun The process of making something mechanical.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “mechanicalization”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek μηχανή / mechanicalization