technical

[ tek-ni-kuh l ]

/ ˈtɛk nɪ kəl /

adjective

belonging or pertaining to an art, science, or the like: technical skill.

peculiar to or characteristic of a particular art, science, profession, trade, etc.: technical details.

using terminology or treating subject matter in a manner peculiar to a particular field, as a writer or a book: a technical report.

skilled in or familiar in a practical way with a particular art, trade, etc., as a person.

of, relating to, or showing technique.

technically demanding or difficult: a technical violin sonata; a technical ski run.

designed or used for technically demanding sports or other activities: technical apparel.

pertaining to or connected with the mechanical or industrial arts and the applied sciences: a technical school.

so considered from a point of view in accordance with a stringent interpretation of the rules: a military engagement ending in a technical defeat.

concerned with or dwelling on technicalities: You're getting too technical for me.

noting a market in which prices are determined largely by supply and demand and other such internal factors rather than by general business, economic, or psychological factors that influence market activity: technical weakness or strength.

Nearby words

Origin of technical

First recorded in 1610–20; technic + -al¹

Related forms

tech·ni·cal·ly, adverbtech·ni·cal·ness, nounhy·per·tech·ni·cal, adjectivehy·per·tech·ni·cal·ly, adverb

hy·per·tech·ni·cal·ness, nounnon·tech·ni·cal, adjectivenon·tech·ni·cal·ly, adverbnon·tech·ni·cal·ness, nouno·ver·tech·ni·cal, adjectiveo·ver·tech·ni·cal·ly, adverbpre·tech·ni·cal, adjectivepre·tech·ni·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-tech·ni·cal, adjectivequa·si-tech·ni·cal·ly, adverbun·tech·ni·cal, adjectiveun·tech·ni·cal·ly, adverb

Can be confusedtechnical technological

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nontechnical

But other companies would do better to look at the nontechnical skills she acquired through military service.
From War to Work: Why and How Companies Should Hire Post-9/11 Veterans|Zachary Iscol|October 31, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This substance may be described, in nontechnical language, as a concentrated form of oxygen.
Meteorology|Charles Fitzhugh Talman
Of this progress we were aware only as nontechnical and distant observers.
America's Munitions 1917-1918|Benedict Crowell
It is a reasonable question and it deserves a nontechnical answer.
East-West Trade Trends|Harold E. Stassen

This was as close to a classic description of coronary clotting as I figured I would get in nontechnical terms.
The Right Time|Walter Bupp

British Dictionary definitions for nontechnical (1 of 2)

nontechnical

/ (nɒnˈtɛknɪkəl) /

adjective

not relating to, characteristic of, or skilled in a particular field of activity and its terminology

British Dictionary definitions for nontechnical (2 of 2)

technical

/ (ˈtɛknɪkəl) /

adjective

of, relating to, or specializing in industrial, practical, or mechanical arts and applied sciencesa technical institute

skilled in practical and mechanical arts rather than theoretical or abstract thinking

relating to or characteristic of a particular field of activitythe technical jargon of linguistics

existing by virtue of a strict application of the rules or a strict interpretation of the wordinga technical loophole in the law; a technical victory

of, derived from, or showing techniquetechnical brilliance

(of a financial market) having prices determined by internal speculative or manipulative factors rather than by general or economic conditionsa technical rally

Derived Formstechnically, adverbtechnicalness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for nontechnical

technical

adj.

1610s, "skilled in a particular art or subject," formed in English from Greek tekhnikos "of art," from tekhne "art, skill, craft" (see techno-). The sense narrowed to "having to do with the mechanical arts" (1727). Basketball technical foul (one which does not involve contact between opponents) is recorded from 1934. Boxing technical knock-out (one in which the loser is not knocked out) is recorded from 1921; abbreviation TKO is from 1940s.