noun · 3 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.
Canada, General-American:/ˌmɛkənaɪˈzeɪʃən/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:M EH2 K AH0 N AH0 Z EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The use of machinery to replace human or animal labour, especially in agriculture and industry.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
the act of implementing the control of equipment with advanced technology; usually involving electronic hardware
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
automation replaces human workers by machines
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: automation, mechanisation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: high technology, high tech
Narrower terms: computerization, cybernation
3
noun
Meaning 3
the condition of having a highly technical implementation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mechanisation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: condition, status
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English mechanize Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English mechanization From mechanize + -ation.
Across languages
Translations
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مَكْنَنَة
(maknana)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Arabic:
مَيْكَنَة
(maykana)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Asturian:
mecanización
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Belarusian:
механіза́цыя
(mjexanizácyja)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Bulgarian:
механиза́ция
(mehanizácija)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Catalan:
mecanització
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Chinese Mandarin:
機械化 /机械化
(jīxièhuà)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Czech:
mechanizace
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Danish:
mekanisering
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Finnish:
koneistus
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Finnish:
koneistaminen
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Finnish:
koneellistaminen
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
French:
mécanisation
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Galician:
mecanización
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
German:
Mechanisierung
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Greek:
εκμηχάνιση
(ekmichánisi)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Hindi:
मशीनीकरण
(maśīnīkraṇ)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Hindi:
यंत्रीकरण
(yantrīkraṇ)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Italian:
meccanizzazione
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Japanese:
機械化
(kikaika)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Kazakh:
механикаландыру
(mexanikalandyru)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Korean:
기계화
(gigyehwa)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Macedonian:
механизација
(mehanizacija)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Norwegian Bokmål:
mekanisering
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Polish:
mechanizacja
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Portuguese:
mecanização
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Romanian:
mecanizare
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Russian:
механиза́ция
(mexanizácija)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Serbo-Croatian:
механиза́ција
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Serbo-Croatian:
mehanizácija
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Slovak:
mechanizácia
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Slovene:
mehanizacija
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Spanish:
mecanización
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Swedish:
mekanisering
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour
Ukrainian:
механіза́ція
(mexanizácija)
— the use of machinery to replace human or animal labour