Showing results for "engineering"

• present participle of engineer.

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.

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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

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engineering Scientific  

/ ĕn′jə-nîr′ĭng /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonengineering
  noun
• preengineering
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• engineering
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

engineering

“We’ve had a major paradigm change, a major regime shift in the capital cycle. The capital cycle was funding financial engineering, now the capital cycle is funding a new tectonic life-changing technology,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

“Anthropic makes fantastic products,” said Vishal Misra, the vice dean of computing and AI at Columbia University’s engineering school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Although he grew up near SoFi Stadium, Hernandez, who will be a freshman at San José State in the fall studying civil engineering, had never attended a major live sports event until this year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Buildings Department is currently reviewing the engineering reports on the cause of the cracks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Somebody in Illinois must have studied engineering at a regular school.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• architecture
• design
• metallurgy
• planning