machinery

/məˈʃinəri/

/məˈʃinəri/

Other forms: machineries

Machinery refers to specific machines or machines in general. A farmer has lots of farm machinery, like tractors and plows. Machinery is also the inner workings of something — the machinery of a society is how a society works.

You can refer to a group of machines as machinery, such as the machinery in a factory or the machinery in a laboratory. It’s also the inner workings of a particular machine, like the machinery that keeps your computer running. Machinery has to do with how something works or functions. The government, media, business, and family are all part of the machinery of society. The word machinery originally referred to the devices used for creating stage effects in the theater.

Definitions of machinery

1. noun

   machines or machine systems collectively
   types:

   enginery

   machinery consisting of engines collectively

   grinder, mill, milling machinery

   machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing

   cider mill

   mill that extracts juice from apples to make apple cider

   coffee grinder, coffee mill

   a mill that grinds roasted coffee beans

   flour mill

   a mill for grinding grain into flour

   gristmill

   a mill for grinding grain (especially the customer's own grain)

   meat grinder

   a mill for grinding meat

   pepper grinder, pepper mill

   a mill for grinding pepper

   quern

   a primitive stone mill for grinding corn by hand

   spicemill

   a mill for grinding spices

   tread-wheel, treadmill, treadwheel

   a mill that is powered by men or animals walking on a circular belt or climbing steps

   water mill

   a mill powered by a water wheel

   windmill

   a mill that is powered by the wind

   type of:

   machine

   any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
2. noun

   a system of means and activities whereby a social institution functions
   “the complex machinery of negotiation”

   “the machinery of command labored and brought forth an order”

   type of:

   scheme, system

   a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole