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technical

American  
[tek-ni-kuhl] / ˈtɛk nɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. belonging or pertaining to an art, science, or the like.

    technical skill.

  2. peculiar to or characteristic of a particular art, science, profession, trade, etc..

    technical details.

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

    a technical report.

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

  5. of, relating to, or showing technique.

  6. technically demanding or difficult.

    a technical violin sonata; a technical ski run.

  7. designed or used for technically demanding sports or other activities.

    technical apparel.

  8. pertaining to or connected with the mechanical or industrial arts and the applied sciences.

    a technical school.

  9. so considered from a point of view in accordance with a stringent interpretation of the rules.

    a military engagement ending in a technical defeat.

  10. concerned with or dwelling on technicalities.

    You're getting too technical for me.

  11. 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.


technical British  
/ ˈtɛknɪkəl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or specializing in industrial, practical, or mechanical arts and applied sciences

    a technical institute

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

  3. relating to or characteristic of a particular field of activity

    the technical jargon of linguistics

  4. existing by virtue of a strict application of the rules or a strict interpretation of the wording

    a technical loophole in the law

    a technical victory

  5. of, derived from, or showing technique

    technical brilliance

  6. (of a financial market) having prices determined by internal speculative or manipulative factors rather than by general or economic conditions

    a technical rally

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of technical

First recorded in 1610–20; technic + -al 1

Explanation

Technical describes a specific art or science, or training for a particular job. If you have trouble with your new computer, you might call for technical support, but a technical school teaches you a certain craft, like how to weld. Technical comes from the Greek tekhno, which means "art or skill." Anything technical requires both art and skill. If you're an Olympic gymnast, you have technical abilities. You might go to a technical school to learn how to be a chef, a mechanic, or a massage therapist. While being technical can be a positive trait, you don't want to overwhelm someone with technicalities. For example: If you're trying to explain how a car works to a kid and you start talking about manifolds, you're getting too technical.

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Vocabulary lists containing technical

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.

However, Iran's Fars news agency reported that visas had yet to be issued for some members of the team's "technical and executive staff."

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

SpaceX is very much tied to the success of Elon Musk as he is the chief executive officer, chief technical officer, and chairman of the board.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

But after two dry-runs with facsimiles, the culture ministry in Paris is confident the technical difficulties have been overcome.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

That rotation has helped deepen the pressure on bitcoin, according to Jim Ferraioli, head of digital, technical and commodities research at the Schwab Center for Financial Research.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

I guess that’s the technical term for it, shock.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

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