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.

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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

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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

Explanation

An engineer is someone who possesses the knowledge or expertise to create and implement plans or build machines. Even if you're not an engineer, when you engineer you make plans and solve problems. An interesting part of the word engineer is the suffix -eer, which turns a word into one that means someone who does something indicated by the base it is affixed to — a mountaineer climbs mountains, an auctioneer presides at auctions, an engineer designs, coming from the Old French engin, which means "skill or cleverness." If you want to become an engineer, you'll have to study all kinds of mechanical systems, not just engines.

Example Sentences

"This puts us on equal footing" with illegal groups, said Andres Julian Salamanca, 37, an electrical engineer who helped develop the system.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Polymarket said it assisted with the investigation into the Google engineer.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Federal prosecutors allege a software engineer made more than $1 million using nonpublic information to bet on who would be the most-searched people of 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

A trailblazing engineer, she is the first woman to lead one of the world’s major oil companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Paul Stewart took charge of the rehearsal that day, working with the sound engineer to incorporate sound effects and music with the actors’ voices.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

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