English
machination
Machination comes from Latin māchinor ‘devise, invent’, from māchina ‘device, engine’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’root as named · steps between not traced
- Doric Greekmodernμᾱχᾰνᾱ́‘machine, tool’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchina‘device, engine’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchinor‘devise, invent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchinātiōnem
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600machination
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500machynacion
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606machination
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’root as named · steps between not traced
- Doric Greekmodernμᾱχᾰνᾱ́‘machine, tool’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchina‘device, engine’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchinor‘devise, invent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāchinātiōnem
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600machination
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500machynacion
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606machination
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “Machinations, hollowneſſe, treacherie, and all ruinous diſorders follow vs…”
Equivalent to machinate + -ion
Doric Greek μᾱχᾰνᾱ́ ‘machine, tool’
Latin māchina ‘device, engine’
Latin machinor ‘to invent, devise’
Latin machinātus ‘having devised’
English machinate
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’
may, might, main, mechanical, mechanism, yay, mechanic, magician, dismay, mower, mage, mecha, magus, yayo, 78 more
Today it means
noun A clever scheme or artful plot, usually crafted for evil purposes.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- / machination