engineering

noun

en·​gi·​neer·​ing ˌen-jə-ˈnir-iŋ 

1

: the activities or function of an engineer

2

a

: the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people

b

: the design and manufacture of complex products

software engineering

3

: calculated manipulation or direction (as of behavior)

social engineering

compare genetic engineering

Example Sentences

This control panel is a good example of smart engineering.

Recent Examples on the Web

Obernolte received a degree in engineering and applied sciences, with a focus on computer science, from the California Institute of Technology in 1992. —Julian Mark, Washington Post, 17 May 2023

Porfiri was a teaching assistant for Liviu Librescu, the engineering professor who blocked the door to his classroom to allow students to escape out the window. —Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 12 May 2023

Elizabeth Reid, the vice president of engineering for Search, who demoed SGE for me, tried to allay such fears. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 11 May 2023

The students then adopt an engineering perspective and build sand bags that could have helped mitigate the flood waters, which were an impact of climate change, scientists say. —Sabrina Leboeuf, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2023

Overview Something electric is stewing inside Mini's engineering HQ and at least one of those secrets has been revealed as the all-new Aceman. —Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 9 May 2023

Jacobs is one of the largest public companies based in Dallas-Fort Worth and is the biggest of three major engineering firms with head offices here. —Steve Brown, Dallas News, 9 May 2023

The first cooking app (kind of) Just years after ECHO IV was released, engineering giant Honeywell debuted a kitchen computer that promised to make cooking a breeze. —Julia Malleck, Quartz, 5 May 2023

Between management, engineering, mechanics, communications, and marketing, the group’s founder Deborah Mayer has overseen their growth into a 24-woman team that, to date, has 51 podium finishes. —Abigail Bassett, ELLE, 4 May 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing engineering

• chemical engineering
• knowledge engineering
• biomedical engineering
• industrial engineering
• electrical engineering
• human engineering
• mechanical engineering
• social engineering
• genetic engineering
• traffic engineering
• geotechnical engineering

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• chemical engineering
• knowledge engineering
• biomedical engineering
• industrial engineering
• electrical engineering
• human engineering
• mechanical engineering
• social engineering
• genetic engineering
• traffic engineering
• geotechnical engineering

See More

Kids Definition

engineering

noun

en·​gi·​neer·​ing ˌen-jə-ˈni(ə)r-iŋ 

: the science or profession of developing and using nature's power and resources in ways that are useful to people (as in designing and building roads, bridges, dams, or machines and in creating new products)