engineering

American  

[en-juh-neer-ing] / ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər ɪŋ /

noun

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

---

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.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonengineering noun
• preengineering adjective

Etymology

Origin of engineering

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

Example Sentences

Connecting Tehran to the city of Karaj, the $400-million bridge was Iran’s largest, and was often regarded as one of the most prominent, expensive and complex engineering endeavors in the Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The research brought together experts in engineering, physics, microscopy and cell biology.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

"The use of AI coding tools inside Oracle is enabling smaller engineering teams to deliver more complete solutions to our customers more quickly," Mike Silicia, Oracle's other co-chief executive, said earlier this month.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Pinnaka says the creation of his AI agent engineering team followed the natural evolution of Claude Code, which was dramatically improved when Anthropic released the Opus 4.6 model in early February.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

A marvel of miniature engineering, the T-50 had a lens only four millimeters wide.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• architecture
• design
• metallurgy
• planning