mechanic
Americannoun
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mechanics
plural
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a person who repairs and maintains machinery, motors, etc..
an automobile mechanic.
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a worker who is skilled in the use of tools, machines, equipment, etc.
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Slang. a person skilled in the dishonest handling of cards, dice, or other objects used in games of chance.
noun
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a person skilled in maintaining or operating machinery, motors, etc
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archaic a common labourer
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mechanic
1350–1400; Middle English: mechanical < Latin mēchanicus < Greek mēchanikós, equivalent to mēchan ( ḗ ) machine + -ikos -ic
Explanation
A mechanic is a person who builds or repairs engines or other machines. Mechanics are trained to use special tools and often work in shops or garages. If you are planning to be a mechanic, you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty. The most common type of mechanic works on vehicles like cars, motorcycles, tractors, or airplanes. If your car is making a strange noise, you should probably take it to a mechanic. The oldest meaning of this word was simply "laborer," or "person who works with his hands," from the Greek root mekhanikos, "engineer." The current sense of mechanic came into use along with the popularity of the automobile.
Vocabulary lists containing mechanic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Fort Wayne, Ind., resident brought her 2014 Dodge Journey to a mechanic a few years ago and left with unbalanced tires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
The placement also challenged his understanding of what the job would be like, and that being a mechanic "isn't just about fixing cars".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Hire an independent mechanic to look at the vehicle.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Gustavo, a 60-year-old mechanic who declined to give his last name, is worried.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
They had to do this “outside when the wind was blowing and the temperature was forty below zero,” according to Galina Drobovich, who became the 586th’s chief aircraft mechanic.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Adding to his three-week skid, during which Klein’s been fighting bad mechanics, he gave up three hits, made an errant pickoff attempt, issued a walk and hit Willson Contreras in the helmet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
"My message to young people is this - whether you choose construction, coding or classics, or maths, manufacturing or mechanics, you'll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
However, the researchers say it may contribute to efforts to connect general relativity, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and cosmology within a broader framework.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
The more restrictive the ADR conversion mechanics, the wider the premium will be.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Quantum mechanics has a similar problem, a problem related to the zero-point energy.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
