noun
Common
machinery
muh-SHEE-nuh-ree
Machinery (noun) means Machines considered together, especially the equipment used in a factory or industry. Example: “Heavy machinery rumbled across the building site from early morning until dusk.”
noun
1
Machines considered together, especially the equipment used in a factory or industry.
"Heavy machinery rumbled across the building site from early morning until dusk."
"Workers must wear ear protection whenever the machinery in the workshop is running."
"The plant invested heavily in new machinery to increase output."
2
The system of parts or processes that make something work.
"The machinery of the court can be slow, but it usually reaches a fair decision."
"Nobody could explain the machinery behind the company's strange approval process."
"Few people understand the machinery of government behind a single new law."
How to use machinery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither physical machines as a group, or the underlying system that makes something function.
Common pairings
heavy machinery
the machinery of government
industrial machinery
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Word forms
- Plural
- machineries
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Heavy _____ rumbled across the building site from early morning until dusk.
Etymology
From machine + the suffix -ery, following the pattern of French machinerie.
Related words
Rhymes for machinery
See all rhymes for machinery →Frequently asked questions
What does “machinery” mean?
The word “machinery” means machines considered together, especially the equipment used in a factory or industry. In plain terms, either physical machines as a group, or the underlying system that makes something function.
How do you pronounce “machinery”?
“Machinery” is pronounced muh-SHEE-nuh-ree (/məˈʃiːnəɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “machinery” in a sentence?
Here is “machinery” used in a sentence: “The plant invested heavily in new machinery to increase output.”
What part of speech is “machinery”?
“Machinery” is a noun.
Where does the word “machinery” come from?
The word “machinery” comes from French. From machine + the suffix -ery, following the pattern of French machinerie.
Is “machinery” a common word?
“Machinery” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “machinery” have?
“Machinery” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: machines considered together, especially the equipment used in a factory or industry.
Is machinery singular or plural?
Machinery is an uncountable noun, so it takes a singular verb: "the machinery is running smoothly." Standard English does not allow "a machinery" or "machineries"; say "a machine" or "a piece of machinery" instead.
What is the difference between machine and machinery?
A machine is a single device and is countable: one machine, two machines. Machinery refers to machines considered together, especially the equipment of a factory or industry, and it is uncountable.
What counts as heavy machinery?
Heavy machinery means large, powerful industrial equipment such as excavators, cranes, and bulldozers. The phrase is familiar from safety warnings like "do not operate heavy machinery," which appear on some medicine labels.
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