engineer
Americannoun
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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.
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a person who operates or is in charge of an engine.
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Also called locomotive engineer. Railroads. a person who operates or is in charge of a locomotive.
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a member of an army, navy, or air force specially trained in engineering work.
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Digital Technology. a person skilled in the design and programming of computer systems.
a software engineer;
a web engineer.
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a skillful manager.
a political engineer.
verb (used with object)
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to plan, construct, or manage as an engineer.
He's engineered several big industrial projects.
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to design or create using the techniques or methods of engineering.
The motor has been engineered to run noiselessly.
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to arrange, manage, or carry through by skillful or artful contrivance.
He certainly engineered the election campaign beautifully.
noun
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a person trained in any branch of the profession of engineering
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the originator or manager of a situation, system, etc
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a mechanic; person who repairs or services machines
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the driver of a railway locomotive
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an officer responsible for a ship's engines
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Informal name: sapper. a member of the armed forces, esp the army, trained in engineering and construction work
verb
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to originate, cause, or plan in a clever or devious manner
he engineered the minister's downfall
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The binding constraints are migrating into the physical layer: materials science, molecular engineering, and specialty chemistry.”
From Barron's
Roche’s company employs about 85 people in marketing, engineering, sales and finance.
They include Midwestern small-business owners—architects, financial advisers and engineers—saving on healthcare costs by living seven time zones east of their clients.
The electrical engineer, who gave his age as “over 1,000,” came to the United States from El Salvador illegally in 1975 but was now a citizen.
From Los Angeles Times
“Electricity infrastructure moves at engineering speed, not political speed.”
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
