makina noun Sense 1 English. Whatever causes locomotion, activity or speech with only indirect human involvement: motor, engine. Example sentence: Subanen. Misebu'u dun, mauma ki makina, mektalu' ma? Ma'niin bag ragyu kia. English. I am puzzled as to why machines speak. Like that radio there. Sense 2 English. A foot-powered, or electric, sewing machine.