vending machine meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

vending machine

nounalso spelled vending-machine

/ˈvɛndɪŋ məˌʃiːn/

Etymology This name for such a machine is attested since 1889. The concept of such a machine is centuries older (for more, see Wikipedia at vending machine § History).

An automatic machine that dispenses merchandise (often food or beverages) in return for payment (originally coins; now also often paper money, credit cards, and wirelessly via digital payment apps).

Meronyms: bill acceptor, card swipe, change slot, coin return, coin slot, flavor strip
It is not clear to all operators of vending machines, though, that their future lies in dispensing meals, rather than snacks or candy.1992 September 9, Trish Hall, “Vending Machines, the Next Generation in Dining”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

1 more example

Passengers may find themselves in a catch-22 situation, unable to buy a ticket for any number of reasons, ranging from an out-of-order ticket vending machine to a lengthy queue to use one, and yet then fall foul of the penalty fare regime.2023 July 26, Christian Wolmar, “Closing ticket offices to lead to 'catch-22' for passengers”, in RAL, number 988, page 42:

Related terms: vendor, automat, automatic teller machine, cash machine, coin-in-the-slot, coin-op, ticket machine

vending-machine

noun

Dated Dated form of vending machine.

In an automatic vending-machine, the combination, with the case and the goods-drawer arranged to slide therein, and the locking devices for the latter, of the movable partition and the locking-tongue projecting downward into the money-receptacle, the chute extending from the locking devices upward to a point near the top of the partition, and the movable block provided with a slot and adapted to connect the slotted case-front with the chute, substantially as set forth.1889 December 17, Henry T. Crepeau, “Automatic Vending-Machine”, in United States Patent Office, Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, volume CXXV, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1739, column 2:
Love-apple in Canberra’s university put out of order a vending-machine.1984 April 10, “Cryptic Crossword”, in The Sydney Morning Herald, late edition, number 45,641, Sydney, N.S.W., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 27, column 3:

1 more example

If we carry two-dollar bills, we’ll never have to carry more than one Sacajawea, and those one-dollar coins will save vending-machines, mass-transit systems, and pay telephones hundreds of millions of dollars more.2000 April 20, Bob Morris, “Buddy can you spare a two?”, in Casper Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo., →OCLC, page A11, column 5:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for vending machine and vending-machine.