machine-hostile
|ma-chine-hos-tile|
🇺🇸
/məˈʃiːn ˈhɑːstəl/
🇬🇧
/məˈʃiːn ˈhɒstəl/
hostile toward machines
Etymology
'machine-hostile' is an English compound formed from 'machine' and 'hostile'. 'Machine' originates from French/Latin: Old French 'machine', from Latin 'machina', ultimately from Greek 'μηχανή (mēkhanē)' meaning 'device, contrivance'. 'Hostile' originates from Latin 'hostilis', from 'hostis' meaning 'enemy'.
'machine' passed into English via Old French and Middle English from Latin 'machina' (Greek 'mēkhanē'), while 'hostile' entered Middle English from Old French 'hostile' derived from Latin 'hostilis'. The compound 'machine-hostile' is a modern English formation combining these two elements.
Individually, 'machine' originally referred to a device or contrivance and 'hostile' meant 'of an enemy'; combined in modern usage they mean 'showing opposition or hostility toward machines/automation'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
showing hostility toward machines, automation, or automated systems; antagonistic or prejudiced against the use of machines.
The new regulation was criticized as machine-hostile because it discouraged factories from adopting automated processes.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/03 16:41