machine (English)

Where does "machine" come from?

The word 'machine' originates from the Doric Greek term 'māchanā', meaning a device or tool, which also inspired the Attic Greek 'mēkhanḗ'. It traveled into Latin as 'māchina', referring to everything from simple gadgets to theatrical contraptions, before passing through Middle French to enter English. In its journey, it eventually displaced the native Old English word 'searu' to become our standard term for any complex mechanical system.

Full etymology tree

• machine (English), 'A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.'
  • borrowed machine (Middle French), 'machine; device'
    • borrowed māchina (Latin), 'contrivance'
      • borrowed μᾱχᾰνᾱ́ (mākhănā́) (Doric Greek)

Direct ancestors

• machine (Middle French)
• machina (Latin)
• μαχανά (Ancient Greek)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris