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sewing machine

American

noun

any of various foot-operated or electric machines for sewing or making stitches, ranging from machines with a shuttle for a spool of thread and a needle for sewing garments to industrial machines for sewing leather, book pages together, etc.

sewing machine British

noun

any machine designed to sew material. It is now usually driven by electric motor but is sometimes operated by a foot treadle or by hand

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sewing machine

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

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.

Any schoolchild knows who came up with the telephone or the sewing machine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Demonstrating her new skills, she guided material through her sewing machine to create delicate silk leaves and flowers.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Among the pieces that she had teased on social media were a sewing machine, a steamer, lamps, a “tiny side table,” a sequin romper, and a Bergdorf Goodman jacket.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 13, 2025

Ms Wambui asks in a worried tone, her hands and feet moving in time on the sewing machine as she stitches together pieces of fabric.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2025

Abuela’s hands threading the bobbin at her sewing machine.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023