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Synonyms

engineering

American  
[en-juh-neer-ing] / ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər ɪŋ /

noun

  • engineering
    plural
  1. the art or science of making practical application of the knowledge of pure sciences, as physics or chemistry, as in the construction of engines, bridges, buildings, mines, ships, and chemical plants.

  2. the action, work, or profession of an engineer.

  3. Digital Technology. the art or process of designing and programming computer systems.

    computer engineering;

    software engineering.

  4. skillful or artful contrivance; maneuvering.


engineering British  
/ ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ /

noun

  1. the profession of applying scientific principles to the design, construction, and maintenance of engines, cars, machines, etc ( mechanical engineering ), buildings, bridges, roads, etc ( civil engineering ), electrical machines and communication systems ( electrical engineering ), chemical plant and machinery ( chemical engineering ), or aircraft ( aeronautical engineering ) See also military engineering

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

engineering Scientific  
/ ĕn′jə-nîrĭng /
  1. The application of science to practical uses such as the design of structures, machines, and systems. Engineering has many specialities such as civil engineering, chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of engineering

First recorded in 1710–20; engineer + -ing 1

Explanation

If you're good at engineering that means you're able to apply scientific or mathematical ideas to real-world projects like designing a bridge, building a radio tower, and of course, designing engines. Think of engineering as the field where science, math, and technology meet. If you like to understand how things work and like building new things even more, then consider going into engineering. The word comes, predictably enough, from the word engine. You wouldn't want a poet designing the engine of your airplane, would you? Me neither.

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Vocabulary lists containing engineering

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.

See Examples For:

Notably, however, these young philosophy majors are less likely to be unemployed than their peers with degrees in computer science, computer engineering, information systems or physics.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 10, 2026

In collaboration with textile researchers at Donghua University, one of China's leading institutions for textile science and engineering, the researchers showed that the method works on more than just printable polymer films.

From Science Daily Sep. 10, 2026

Ternus, 51, joined Apple's product design team in 2001 and worked his way up to leading the engineering teams behind Apple's entire product lineup, including the iPhones that generate most of the company's revenue.

From Barron's Sep. 9, 2026

The engineering firm that worked on the 28,000-square-foot Signorello Estate facility said on its website that it cost $20 million to build.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 9, 2026

These were important engineering milestones, but what visitors adored was the sheer beauty of seeing so many lights ignited in one place, at one time.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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