Standard Lemma guide

mechanistic

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˌmɛkəˈnɪstɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M EH2 K AH0 N IH1 S T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having the impersonal and automatic characteristics of a machine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Predetermined by, or as if by, a mechanism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Having a physical or biological cause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

of or relating to the philosophical theory of mechanism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

explained in terms of physical forces

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a mechanistic universe

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *megh-der.? Ancient Greek μηχᾰνή (mēkhănḗ)der. New Latin mechanismuslbor. English mechan(ism) ▲ Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -istic English mechanistic From mechan(ism) + -istic.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: механісты́чны (mjexanistýčny) — by, or as if by, a mechanism
  • French: mécaniste — by, or as if by, a mechanism
  • Polish: mechanistyczny — by, or as if by, a mechanism
  • Russian: механисти́ческий (mexanistíčeskij) — by, or as if by, a mechanism
  • Ukrainian: механісти́чний (mexanistýčnyj) — by, or as if by, a mechanism