machineness
|mə-ˈʃiːn-nəs|
/məˈʃiːn.nəs/
quality of being machine-like
Etymology
'machineness' originates from English, formed by adding the suffix '-ness' to the word 'machine', which itself comes from French 'machine' and ultimately from Latin 'machina'.
'machineness' was created in modern English by combining 'machine' + '-ness'; 'machine' changed from Old French 'machine' (or medieval French) and before that from Latin 'machina', which goes back to Greek 'μηχανή' (mēkhanē).
Initially, the root 'machina' meant 'device' or 'contrivance'; over time 'machine' retained that basic sense while 'machineness' has come to emphasize either automatic/mechanical operation or a figurative coldness/loss of humanity.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being like a machine: mechanical operation, automatic functioning, or the character of operating by fixed rules rather than human judgement.
The machineness of the assembly line ensured high output but left little room for individual judgement.
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Noun 2
a figurative sense: a lack of human warmth, spontaneity, or individuality; something feeling coldly impersonal or overly routine.
Critics complained about the machineness in the novel's characters, saying they behaved like predictable parts of a plot rather than real people.
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Last updated: 2025/12/01 12:45