technique
Americannoun
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the manner and ability with which an artist, writer, dancer, athlete, or the like employs the technical skills of a particular art or field of endeavor.
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the body of specialized procedures and methods used in any specific field, especially in an area of applied science.
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method of performance; way of accomplishing.
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technical skill; ability to apply procedures or methods so as to effect a desired result.
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Informal. method of projecting personal charm, appeal, etc..
He has the greatest technique with customers.
noun
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a practical method, skill, or art applied to a particular task
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proficiency in a practical or mechanical skill
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special facility; knack
he had the technique of turning everything to his advantage
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of technique
First recorded in 1810–20; from French: “technical” (adjective), “technic” (noun), from Greek technikós, techniká; see technic
Explanation
A technique is a method of doing some task or performing something. Your technique for opening drinks might be to twist the top off with your teeth. If so, your dentist better have a good tooth-repair technique. The noun technique can also refer to someone's skillfulness with the fundamentals of a particular task. A violinist could have excellent technique, but lack passion, for example. Writers usually have very individual writing techniques: One might need to write late at night and another early in the morning; some have to write by hand on paper, while others always use the computer.
Vocabulary lists containing technique
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
Carolyn Wells’s “The Technique of the Mystery Story” was the first substantial history of detective fiction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
"Technique, speed, courage, you name it. Tactically, he's a leader, understands the game like few others. And his mental strength is a joke. The kid is complete."
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2025
The Reid Technique, as it came to be known, relies on insights from behavioral science to help police officers determine if a suspect is likely guilty, or if a witness is telling the truth.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2024
Using a system known as Electronic Facial Identification Technique, or E-FIT for short, the Kent police mocked up a computer-generated composite of the suspect’s identifying features, which, uh, came out looking like this:
From Slate • May 1, 2024
In our regular Intermediate Technique II classes, we did pique turns all the time.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
