polytechnic

American  

[pol-ee-tek-nik] / ˌpɒl iˈtɛk nɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or offering instruction in a variety of industrial arts, applied sciences, or technical subjects.

   a polytechnic institute.

---

noun

1. a school or other institution in which instruction in technical subjects is given.

polytechnic British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈtɛknɪk /

noun

1. a college offering advanced full- and part-time courses, esp vocational courses, in many fields at and below degree standard

---

adjective

1. of or relating to technical instruction and training

Etymology

Origin of polytechnic

1795–1805; poly- + technic, modeled on French polytechnique

Example Sentences

We sent the request to my mom, a mathematician at the Polytechnic University of Turin.

From Slate • May 2, 2026

The trucker catalogs diesel prices each time she fuels up for the roughly 500-mile round trip she makes six nights a week hauling modular dorm rooms from outside Los Angeles to California Polytechnic State University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Researchers from Tomsk Polytechnic University and Surgut State University in Russia developed this method for creating encapsulated nanodoses of thyme.

From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2026

LaMalfa earned a degree in agriculture business from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

Until European contact the warm coastline of California was heavily populated, according to William S. Preston, a geographer at California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann