deus ex machina

== English == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from Latin deus ex māchinā (literally “god from a machine [i.e., a device, scaffolding, contrivance]”), a calque of Ancient Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós). === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˌdeɪ.əs ɛks ˈmækɪnə/, /ˌdeɪ.əs ɛks məˈʃiːnə/, /ˌdiːəs ɛks məˈʃiːnə/ (US) IPA(key): /ˌdeɪ.əs ˌɛks ˈmɑkənə/, /ˌdeɪ.əs ˌɛks ˈmækənə/ === Noun === deus ex machina (plural dei ex machina or dei ex machinis or deus ex machinas) (narratology) Any resolution to a story that does not pay due regard to the story's internal logic and that is so unlikely that it challenges suspension of disbelief, and presumably allows the author, director, or developer to end the story in the way that they desired. Near-synonym: (vulgar, slang) ass-pull (by extension) A contrived solution to a problem, relying on an agent external to the situation. (historical, literary) A deity in Greek and Roman drama who was brought in by stage machinery to intervene in a difficult situation (i.e., to resolve a crisis, or untangle issues surrounding it, a character logically expected to do so). (historical) A machine used to bring an actor playing a god onto the stage, either up through a trapdoor or (e.g. by crane) from above. ==== Usage notes ==== Rarely, the plurals dii ex machina, di ex machina, dii ex machinis, and di ex machinis are found. The plurals ending in ex machina literally translate to “gods from a machine”, whereas the plurals ending in ex machinis literally translate to “gods from machines”; in their usage, these plurals generally retain this distinction in sense, however figuratively. ==== Coordinate terms ==== (feminine) dea ex machina ==== Translations ==== === References === == German == === Noun === deus ex machina m (strong, genitive deus ex machina, plural (uncommon) dei ex machina) alternative form of Deus ex Machina ==== Declension ==== == Indonesian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from Latin deus ex māchinā, calque of Ancient Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós, literally “god from the machine”). === Noun === deus ex machina (narratology) deus ex machina === Further reading === “deus ex machina”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Latin == === Etymology === Calque of Ancient Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós, literally “god from the machine”). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈde.ʊs ˈɛks ˈmaː.kʰɪ.naː] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈdɛː.us ˈɛks ˈmaː.ki.na] Hyphenation: de‧us ex mā‧chi‧nā === Noun === deus ex māchinā m (genitive deī ex māchinā, feminine dea ex māchinā); irregular, second declension deus ex machina (deity in Greek and Roman drama who was brought in by stage machinery to intervene in an inextricable situation) ==== Declension ==== Second-declension noun (irregular) with an indeclinable portion. 1Rare during the Classical period.2From Late Latin onwards. == Polish == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from Latin deus ex māchinā, itself a calque of Ancient Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈdɛ.us ˈɛks maˈxi.na/ Syllabification: de‧us ex ma‧chi‧na === Adverb === deus ex machina (not comparable) (literary) deus ex machina (suddenly, unexpectedly, and without prior indications) === Noun === deus ex machina m pers (indeclinable) (Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, drama, historical, literary) deus ex machina (plot resolution in ancient tragedy involving the sudden and unexpected appearance of a deity) (Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, drama, historical, literary) deus ex machina (deity in Greek and Roman drama who was brought in by stage machinery to intervene in a difficult situation) (literary) deus ex machina (unexpected saviour) (literary, narratology) deus ex machina (contrived plot resolution) === Further reading === “deus ex machina”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎[6] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN “deus ex machina”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[7] (in Polish) == Portuguese == === Noun === deus ex machina m (plural deuses ex machina or dei ex machina) (narratology) deus ex machina (contrived plot resolution) ==== Related terms ==== deus === Further reading === “deus ex machina”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “deus ex machina”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Noun === deus ex machina m (uncountable) deus ex machina === Further reading === “deus ex machina”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025