ergonomics

er·go·nom·ics

noun plural but singular or plural in construction \ˌər-gə-ˈnä-miks\

Definition of ERGONOMICS

1

: an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely —called also biotechnology, human engineering, human factors

2

: the design characteristics of an object resulting especially from the application of the science of ergonomics

— er·go·nom·ic \-mik\ adjective

— er·go·nom·i·cal·ly \-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— er·gon·o·mist \(ˌ)ər-ˈgä-nə-mist\ noun

Origin of ERGONOMICS

erg- + -nomics (as in economics)

First Known Use: 1949

Rhymes with ERGONOMICS

bionomics, economics

er·go·nom·ics

noun plural but singular or plural in construction \ˌər-gə-ˈnäm-iks\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ERGONOMICS

: an applied science concerned with the characteristics of people that need to be considered in designing things that they use in order that people and things will interact most effectively and safely—called also human engineering, human factors engineering

—er·go·nom·ic \-ik\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

—er·go·nom·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ (audio pronunciation) adverb

ergonomics

   (Concise Encyclopedia)

Profession of designing machines, tools, and work environments to best accommodate human performance and behaviour. It aims to improve the practicality, efficiency, and safety of a person working with a single machine or device (e.g., using a telephone, driving a car, or operating a computer terminal). Taking the user into consideration has probably always been a part of tool design; for example, the scythe, one of the oldest and most efficient human implements, shows a remarkable degree of ergonomic engineering. Examples of common devices that are poorly designed ergonomically include the snow shovel and the computer or typewriter keyboard.

Variants of ERGONOMICS

ergonomics or human engineering or human factors engineering