Machinate
/ˈmæk.ɪ.neɪt/noun
To secretly plan or plot, especially in a cunning or scheming way.
Did you know?It comes from Latin *machinari*, which meant to devise or contrive using a *machina*—a machine, engine, or device—so the word began as clever engineering before sliding into conspiracy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*magh-
“to be able, have power”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mēkhanḗ
“contrivance, device, engine”
Latin
Latin
machina
“device, engine, machine”
Latin
Latin
machinari
“to devise, contrive, plot”
Middle English
English
machinaten
“to plot or devise”
Modern English
English
machinate
“to secretly plan or plot”