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• techno
  techno

  noun

  a style of disco music characterized by very fast synthesizer rhythms, heavy use of samples, and a lack of melody.
• techno-
  techno-

  a combining form borrowed from Greek where it meant “art,” “skill,” used in the formation of compound words with the meaning “technique,” “technology,” etc..

techno

¹ American  

[tek-noh] / ˈtɛk noʊ /

noun

1. a style of disco music characterized by very fast synthesizer rhythms, heavy use of samples, and a lack of melody.

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techno- ² American  

1. a combining form borrowed from Greek where it meant “art,” “skill,” used in the formation of compound words with the meaning “technique,” “technology,” etc..

   technography.

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techno- ¹ British  

combining form

1. craft or art

   technology

   technography

2. technological or technical

   technocracy

3. relating to or using technology

   technophobia

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techno ² British  

/ ˈtɛknəʊ /

noun

1. a type of very fast dance music, using electronic sounds and fast heavy beats

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Etymology

Origin of techno¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Origin of techno-²

Combining form representing Greek téchnē art, skill. See technic

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

techno techno-

The British producer, whose real name was William Wainwright, helped reinvigorate Madonna's career in 1998 with Ray of Light, an album that blended electronic dance music and ambient techno with pop and trip-hop.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Around the time Corriveau and Corley were seeing traction with the early iteration of their dual restaurant-and-arcade concept, a cultural phenomenon rose in nascent techno and house scenes of cities from Detroit to Ibiza: raves.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

Listening stations and touchscreens allow visitors to navigate the full range of styles and eras, although there are notable omissions such as disco, funk, house and techno.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

I would be sad if it sounded like techno, but I’d get used to it.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

The techno music doesn’t seem to be confusing this thing—it flies with pure determination.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

But this does not mean, as shortsighted critics insist, that striving to send humans to live and work in space must be an escapist techno- fantasy abdicating our stewardship over Earth.

From Scientific American ● Dec. 19, 2022

The techno- rockers EMF have stirred up a fuss with their single Lies, in which they sample the voice of Mark David Chapman, the John Lennon assassin, reciting lyrics from Lennon's last album.

From Time Magazine Archive

Several hundred young hedonists join him in dancing wild tribal stomps as strobe lights flash and 50,000 watts of techno- house music blast from the speakers of a New York City nightclub called the Shelter.

From Time Magazine Archive

The sleek, usually portable instruments offered a solid beat, a big sound and all sorts of groovy techno- twists at a manageable price.

From Time Magazine Archive

Centrism-Euro-, ethno-, techno- or any other kind-as well as dualism- good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust, beautiful and ugly-and hierarchy have exhausted their potential.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin