Why is the engine lathe called the father of other machine tools?

The engine lathe is widely considered the "father of all other machine tools" because it serves as the foundational model from which many other machine tools were derived.1

Its status as the progenitor of modern machining is due to the fact that its fundamental mechanical elements—such as the rotating spindle, the carriage for tool movement, and the methods for holding and guiding workpieces—are incorporated into the design of numerous other machine tools. As mechanical engineering evolved during the Industrial Revolution, the lathe was transformed from a simple wood-turning device into an all-metal, power-driven machine. This evolution provided the essential features required for machining heavy metal parts, which engineers then adapted to create specialized equipment like milling machines, shapers, and various boring machines.1234