machinist

noun

ma·​chin·​ist mə-ˈshē-nist 

1

a

: a worker who fabricates, assembles, or repairs machinery

b

: a craftsman skilled in the use of machine tools

c

: one who operates a machine

2

archaic : a person in charge of the mechanical aspects of a theatrical production

3

: a warrant officer who supervises machinery and engine operation

Examples of machinist in a Sentence

He is a machinist at the factory.

Recent Examples on the Web

Young boys cleaned test tubes, brawny machinists built gauges and mills, and scales delicate enough to weigh an inch of a spider's web. —Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026

Rehmet, who served in the Air Force and works as a machinist, campaigned on lowering costs, supporting public education and protecting jobs. —John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026

Rehmet, who served in the Air Force and works as a machinist, focused on lowering costs, supporting public education and protecting jobs. —John Hanna, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026

Additive technologies create digital factories whose core assets are high‑end 3D printers and multidisciplinary teams of machinists, materials scientists and engineers. —Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for machinist

• alienist
• hygienist
• cleanest
• greenest
• keenest
• meanest

Kids Definition

machinist

noun

ma·​chin·​ist mə-ˈshē-nəst 

: a person who makes or works on machines and engines