technical

[tek-ni-kuhl]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to an art, science, or the like.

   technical skill.

2. peculiar to or characteristic of a particular art, science, profession, trade, etc..

   technical details.

3. using terminology or treating subject matter in a manner peculiar to a particular field, as a writer or a book.

   a technical report.

4. skilled in or familiar in a practical way with a particular art, trade, etc., as a person.

5. of, relating to, or showing technique.

6. technically demanding or difficult.

   a technical violin sonata; a technical ski run.

7. designed or used for technically demanding sports or other activities.

   technical apparel.

8. pertaining to or connected with the mechanical or industrial arts and the applied sciences.

   a technical school.

9. so considered from a point of view in accordance with a stringent interpretation of the rules.

   a military engagement ending in a technical defeat.

10. concerned with or dwelling on technicalities.

    You're getting too technical for me.

11. noting a market in which prices are determined largely by supply and demand and other such internal factors rather than by general business, economic, or psychological factors that influence market activity.

    technical weakness or strength.

technical

/ ˈtɛknɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or specializing in industrial, practical, or mechanical arts and applied sciences

   a technical institute

2. skilled in practical and mechanical arts rather than theoretical or abstract thinking

3. relating to or characteristic of a particular field of activity

   the technical jargon of linguistics

4. existing by virtue of a strict application of the rules or a strict interpretation of the wording

   a technical loophole in the law

   a technical victory

5. of, derived from, or showing technique

   technical brilliance

6. (of a financial market) having prices determined by internal speculative or manipulative factors rather than by general or economic conditions

   a technical rally

Other Word Forms

• technically adverb
• technicalness noun
• hypertechnical adjective
• hypertechnicalness noun
• nontechnical adjective
• nontechnicalness noun
• overtechnical adjective
• pretechnical adjective
• quasi-technical adjective
• untechnical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of technical¹

First recorded in 1610–20; technic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

They wanted the U.S. technical experts to take a late-night flight on a military plane and then drive to a remote area.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Additive manufacturing is being used more frequently in the shipping industry, but in technical niches, rather than entire hulls.

Read more on BBC

Several technical nominations are likely for this film about a former racing driver who returns to the track 30 years after an accident nearly ended his career.

Read more on BBC

The income raised by the levy will be used to fund maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying so-called priority courses such as university degrees and technical qualifications.

Read more on BBC

A good VPN provider will take technical measures to limit the slowdown as much as possible, but it won’t eliminate it.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• high-tech 
• industrial 
• mechanical 
• professional 
• scholarly 
• scientific 
• special 
• specialized 
• technological 
• vocational