English
postmechanical
Postmechanical comes from Latin mēchanicus ‘engineer’, from Ancient Greek μηχανικός ‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’, and ultimately from μηχανή.
- 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‘engineer’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecanique1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanic1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanical1
- English1500–presentmechanical1
- Englishearliest quotation 1989postmechanical1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English postmechanical
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1989, William Winchell, Realistic Cost Estimating for Manufacturing: “Postmechanical operations include: (1) removal of excess weld metal,…”.
Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανήWiktionary, English postmechanicalmēkhanḗ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανικόςWiktionary, English postmechanicalmēkhanikós‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēchanicusWiktionary, English postmechanical‘engineer’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecaniqueWiktionary, English postmechanical
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanicWiktionary, English postmechanical
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanicalWiktionary, English postmechanical
- English1500–presentmechanicalWiktionary, English postmechanical
- Englishearliest quotation 1989postmechanicalWiktionary, English postmechanical. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1989, William Winchell, Realistic Cost Estimating for Manufacturing: “Postmechanical operations include: (1) removal of excess weld metal,…”
A compound of post- + mechanical
Proto-Indo-European *pós ‘afterwards, post-’
Proto-Indo-European *pósti ‘after’
Proto-Italic *posti ‘behind, after’
Old Latin poste
Latin post ‘after, behind’
English post-
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, mechanism, magician, dismay, mower, mage, magus, yayo, 74 more
through Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
through Ancient Greek μηχανικός ‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
through Latin mēchanicus ‘engineer’
through Old French mecanique
through Middle English mechanical
through English mechanical
Today it means
adj Occurring after a mechanical process has completed.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “postmechanical”. 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 / postmechanical