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

Finally, Bryant says that manufacturing and assembly-line devices can be particularly revealing and can also be found on secondhand markets—especially platforms in China, since so many electronics are assembled in the country. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 10 Aug. 2024

Volunteers worked quickly to bag the different fruits and vegetables, sorting through crates full of potatoes and packages of tortillas in an assembly-line to bag large totes of food, which would get handed out within a few minutes of being filled. —Elise Fisher, Sacramento Bee, 8 July 2024

Noun

For example, employees in a manufacturing plant should be aware of the cybersecurity risks that can impact third-party software used in assembly lines. —Raj Verma, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024

Chipotle spotted the rise of digital ordering early, investing in secondary assembly lines dedicated to online orders and other ways to keep operations efficient. —Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 9 Sep. 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