engineer

American  

[en-juh-neer] / ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər /

noun

1. a person trained and skilled in the design, construction, and use of engines or machines, or in any of various branches of engineering.

   a mechanical engineer; a civil engineer.

2. a person who operates or is in charge of an engine.

3. Also called locomotive engineer.  Railroads. a person who operates or is in charge of a locomotive.

4. a member of an army, navy, or air force specially trained in engineering work.

5. Digital Technology. a person skilled in the design and programming of computer systems.

   a software engineer;

   a web engineer.

6. a skillful manager.

   a political engineer.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to plan, construct, or manage as an engineer.

   He's engineered several big industrial projects.

2. to design or create using the techniques or methods of engineering.

   The motor has been engineered to run noiselessly.

3. to arrange, manage, or carry through by skillful or artful contrivance.

   He certainly engineered the election campaign beautifully.

engineer British  

/ ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪə /

noun

1. a person trained in any branch of the profession of engineering

2. the originator or manager of a situation, system, etc

3. a mechanic; person who repairs or services machines

4. the driver of a railway locomotive

5. an officer responsible for a ship's engines

6. Informal name: sapper.  a member of the armed forces, esp the army, trained in engineering and construction work

---

verb

1. to originate, cause, or plan in a clever or devious manner

   he engineered the minister's downfall

2. to design, plan, or construct as a professional engineer

Other Word Forms

• subengineer noun
• unengineered adjective
• well-engineered adjective

Etymology

Origin of engineer

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; engine + -eer; replacing Middle English engin(e)our, from Anglo-French engineor, Old French engigneor, from Medieval Latin ingeniātor, from ingeniā(re) “to design, devise” (derivative of ingenium “nature, innate quality, mental power, clever invention”; engine ) + Latin -tor -tor

Example Sentences

“It’s this kind of very sleeplike moment,” said Laura Lewis, an associate professor of electrical and medical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-author of the study.

From The Wall Street Journal

Harry Keeling, chair of the department of electrical engineering and computer science at Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the schools CodePath has collaborated with, said the Anthropic partnership would open new doors.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I like the idea," said the air conditioning engineer, 23.

From Barron's

When they started to dig down they escalated the issue to the council, who then called in specialist engineers and contractors.

From BBC

With the layoff savings, Pinterest will likely be hiring pricey AI engineers to facilitate its transformation from online mood boards to an AI-powered shopping assistant, leveraging it for both advertising and e-commerce dollars.

From Barron's

Related Words

• arrange
• come up with
• conceive
• concoct
• create
• direct
• manage
• manipulate
• negotiate
• organize
• set up
• supervise