assembly-line

1 of 2

adjective

as·​sem·​bly-line ə-ˈsem-blē-ˌlīn 

: made by or as if by an assembly line

especially : lacking originality or creativity

bored by the novel's assembly-line plot

assembly line

2 of 2

noun

1

: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled

2

: a process for turning out a finished product in a mechanically efficient manner

academic assembly lines

Examples of assembly-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The current model for modular construction – using assembly-line technologies to build homes – has its origin in the period after World War II. —Jacob Posner, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Dec. 2024

An assembly-line robot arm might have a very simple policy: rotate ten degrees clockwise, pick up an item, drop it, rotate back, repeat. —James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Noun

Chevrolet Camaro Chevrolet in March 2023 announced plans to retire the sixth generation Camaro at the end of model year 2024, with the final vehicles coming off the assembly line in January 2024. —Bailey Schulz, Detroit Free Press, 19 Dec. 2024

But planes have only just recently started moving along the assembly lines that were idled by the two-month work stoppage. —Chris Isidore, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1925, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

assembly line

noun

: an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled