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

Examples of engineering in a Sentence

This control panel is a good example of smart engineering.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even in the absence of barriers, a self-driving car would’ve stopped short of harming the crowd assembled in New Orleans on Wednesday, Missy Cummings, a professor of systems engineering and director of Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University, told ABC News. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2025

Likewise, San Francisco’s highly impactful Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 celebrated the Panama Canal’s feat of engineering by presenting a Palace of Machinery alongside a Palace of Fine Arts, signaling the parity between art and science to more than eighteen million visitors. —Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025

The Cyber-Mecha Universe Series demonstrates how engineering and design can work together to provide solutions that not only meet but exceed the demands of modern users, offering them greater efficiency and flexibility in their daily lives. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025

The center focuses on cutting-edge technologies such as AI, cloud engineering and digital health, further cementing Medtronic’s leadership in healthcare innovation. —Peter High, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing engineering

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

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)