Etymograph

English

mechanicality

Mechanicality comes from Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’, and goes back to Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανήmēkhanḗ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμηχανικόςmēkhanikós‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēchanicus‘mechanic’
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecanique
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanic
  6. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mechanical
  7. English1500–presentsame form
  8. Englishtodaymechanicality

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμηχανήmēkhanḗ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμηχανικόςmēkhanikós‘of or pertaining to machines, mechanical’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēchanicus‘mechanic’
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400mecanique
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mechanic
  6. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mechanical
  7. English1500–presentsame form
  8. Englishtodaymechanicality

A compound of mechanical + -ity

Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’

…

Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’

Old French mecanique

Middle English mechanic

Middle English mechanical

English mechanical

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’

may, might, main, yay, magician, dismay, mower, mage, magus, yayo, 79 more

through Ancient Greek μηχανή ‘contrivance, machine, device, gear’

machinist, 57 more

through Latin mēchanicus ‘mechanic’

biomechanics, 57 more

through English mechanical

biomechanical, 34 more

Today it means

noun —

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek μηχανή / mechanicality