Machinery

/məˈʃiːnəri/ noun

Definition

Machines and equipment collectively, especially the mechanisms inside a larger machine that make it work.

Etymology

From French 'machinerie,' derived from Latin 'machina' (machine, device). The word came to English in the 1600s during the Industrial Revolution when machines became increasingly important to society.

Kelly Says

The word 'machinery' didn't exist in English before the 1600s because machines weren't a major part of life until the Industrial Revolution! The rapid addition of new words to describe machines shows how technology forces language to evolve and expand.

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