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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.


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.


techno- 1 British  

combining form

  1. craft or art

    technology

    technography

  2. technological or technical

    technocracy

  3. relating to or using technology

    technophobia

"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

techno 2 British  
/ ˈtɛknəʊ /

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of techno1

First recorded in 1985–90

Origin of techno-2

Combining form representing Greek téchnē art, skill. See technic

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.

See Examples For:

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 line-up also featured Australian house and techno producer Fisher, who brought literal pyro fire to the main stage.

From BBC May 22, 2026

“Let’s get this party going again, shall we?” he said, dropping a needle on a techno remix of “Atomic” by Blondie.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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

From skeptical techno- Philistines, they had been transformed into fully rated Internauts, ready and eager to navigate the digital future.

From Time Magazine Archive

In an age of space exploration, robotics and cyborgs, the techno- thriller is only beginning to make its mark.

From Time Magazine Archive

The debate over how to handle the problem pits the freewheeling techno- cowboys of the computer and telecommunications industries against traditional advocates for the poor.

From Time Magazine Archive

The future of cyber-literature, techno- literature, digital literature or whatever you want to call it, is set by the technology itself.

From The eBook is 40 (1971-2011) by Lebert, Marie

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