Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense engineers, present participle engineering, past tense, past participle engineered
1. countable noun
An engineer is a person who uses scientific knowledge to design, construct, and maintain engines and machines or structures such as roads, railways, and bridges.
2. See also chemical engineer, civil engineer, electrical engineer, sound engineer
3. countable noun
An engineer is a person who repairs mechanical or electrical devices.
They send a service engineer to fix the disk drive.
Synonyms: worker, specialist, operator, practitioner More Synonyms of engineer
4. countable noun
An engineer is a person who is responsible for maintaining the engine of a ship while it is at sea.
5. verb [usually passive]
When a vehicle, bridge, or building is engineered, it is planned and constructed using scientific methods.
Many of Kuwait's spacious freeways were engineered by W S Atkins. [beVERB-ed]
...the car's better designed and better engineered rivals. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: design, plan, create, construct More Synonyms of engineer
6. verb
If you engineer an event or situation, you arrange for it to happen, in a clever or indirect way.
He could stand no more and engineered an escape. [VERB noun]
LeBlanc's rise was not entirely a consequence of talent but was engineered by hermaternal grandfather. [beVERB-ed]
More Synonyms of engineer
engineer in British English
(ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪə)
noun
1.
a person trained in any branch of the profession of engineering
2.
the originator or manager of a situation, system, etc
3.
a mechanic; person who repairs or services machines
4. US and Canadian
the driver of a railway locomotive
5.
an officer responsible for a ship's engines
6. Informal name: sapper
a member of the armed forces, esp the army, trained in engineering and construction work
verb(transitive)
7.
to originate, cause, or plan in a clever or devious manner
he engineered the minister's downfall
8.
to design, plan, or construct as a professional engineer
Word origin
C14: enginer, from Old French engigneor, from engignier to contrive, ultimately from Latin ingenium skill, talent; see engine
engineer in American English
(ˌɛndʒəˈnɪr)
noun
1. Rare
a person who makes engines
2.
a person skilled or occupied in some branch of engineering
a mechanical engineer
3.
a.
a person who operates or supervises the operation of engines or technical equipment
a locomotive engineer, radio engineer
b.
a specialist in planning and directing operations in some technical field
4.
a skillful or clever manager
5. Military
a member of a military engineering unit trained in the construction and demolition of bridges, roads, airfields, etc.
verb transitive
6. US
to plan, construct, or manage as an engineer
7. US
to plan and direct skillfully; superintend; guide (a measure, action, etc. through)
Word origin
earlier enginer < ME enginour < OFr engigneur
Examples of 'engineer' in a sentence
engineer
His father worked as an engineer and his mother opened a milk bar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The only people who had any contact with him were the service engineers who turned on the gas.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This programme shows footage of the bridge being built and also includes interviews with the engineers and construction workers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She also advised them to avoid characters who worked in town planning, civil engineering or dentistry.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Most stressful jobs included firefighter, industrial engineer and mechanic foreman.
The Sun (2017)
It also makes specialist windows and doors, and provides timber engineering services.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The civil engineer once built gleaming towers in Qatar and Dubai.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He says that the construction, although complex, is not making the civil engineers blanch.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
New degrees in food science, automotive and mechanical engineering, and geography are being launched this month.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A lot of them haven't considered it before but they go away thinking they want to be racing drivers or engineers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All of the trained engineers were on deck.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It has been a big week for engineering and construction services companies.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So did the civil engineers who built the ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Many other engineering and electronics businesses were hit by the action.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Troops in tracked vehicles were used to ferry emergency supplies and engineers to fix power supplies.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The relationship between driver and engineer is like a marriage.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
An engineer responsible for much of the railway it served.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We also sometimes send work to engineers we employ in other parts of the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
For a long time it was a union with many members in engineering.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The engineering and construction sectors would be hit hard by a ruling in favour of the claimants.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Something was going to happen as it had occurred so many times before with mechanics and engineers.
The Sun (2011)
The underlying reasons have been known to highways design engineers for decades.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
My attitude towards gardening has more in common with civil engineering than with horticulture.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Many engineers were worried about this bold feature.
Gunston, Bill Plane Speaking - a personal view of aviation history (1991)
This gift for things mechanical and his skill as a mechanical engineer quickly made him a very wealthy man.
Andy Dougan THE HUNTING OF MAN (2004)
They also want home service engineers.
The Sun (2013)
Before retiring in 1973 he worked at an engineering company.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Gradually, this method was accepted and instituted by a large number of managers and engineers.
A Conceptual View of Human Resource Management: Strategic Objectives, Environments,Functions
We could turn those rangy, scary young men into electrical engineers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Almost half of trained engineers end up in the City.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Group activities include engineering, plastics, packaging and office equipment.
Tom Cannon Basic Marketing. Principles and Practice (1986)
In other languages
engineer
British English: engineer /ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪə/ NOUN
An engineer is a person who designs, builds, and repairs machines, or structures such as roads, railways, and bridges.
American English: engineer
Arabic: مُهَنْدِس
Brazilian Portuguese: engenheiro
Chinese: 工程师
Croatian: inženjer
Czech: inženýr
Danish: ingeniør
Dutch: ingenieur
European Spanish: ingeniero
Finnish: insinööri
French: ingénieur
German: Techniker
Greek: μηχανικός
Italian: ingegnere
Japanese: 技師
Korean: 기술자
Norwegian: ingeniør
Polish: inżynier
European Portuguese: engenheiro
Romanian: inginer
Russian: инженер
Latin American Spanish: ingeniero
Swedish: ingenjör
Thai: วิศวกร
Turkish: mühendis
Ukrainian: інженер
Vietnamese: kỹ sư
British English: engineer VERB
When a vehicle, bridge, or building is engineered, it is planned and constructed using scientific methods.
The spacious freeways were engineered by him.
American English: engineer
Brazilian Portuguese: ser projetado
Chinese: 设计制造
European Spanish: ejecutar
French: réaliser
German: konstruieren
Italian: progettare e costruire
Japanese: 設計する
Korean: 설계되다
European Portuguese: ser projetado
Latin American Spanish: ejecutar
All related terms of 'engineer'
re-engineer
to redesign , plan or construct again (as a professional engineer )
well engineer
A well engineer is a qualified person who carries out the design, construction , and maintenance of oil and gas wells .
chief engineer
the senior engineer on board a ship
civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who plans , designs, and constructs roads, bridges, harbours, and public buildings .
flight engineer
the member of an aircraft crew who is responsible for the operation of the aircraft's systems, including the engines, during flight
ground engineer
an engineer qualified and licensed to certify the airworthiness of an aircraft
marine engineer
an engineer responsible for all heavy machinery on a ship or an offshore structure
mining engineer
a person whose job is to carry out mining engineering
patent engineer
a person who draws up applications for patents
radio engineer
an engineer who designs and repairs equipment used for radio broadcasting
sound engineer
A sound engineer is a person who works in a recording studio or for a radio or television company, and whose job it is to alter and balance the levels of different sounds as they are recorded.
chartered engineer
(in Britain) an engineer who is registered with the Engineering Council as having the scientific and technical knowledge and practical experience to satisfy its professional requirements
chemical engineer
A chemical engineer is a person who designs and constructs the machines needed for industrial chemical processes.
engineer officer
a ship's officer who is qualified to be in charge of the vessel's propulsion and other machinery
heating engineer
a person whose job is to install and maintain equipment used for heating buildings
highways engineer
a civil engineer trained and specialized in the planning, construction , maintenance , etc of highways and roads
lighting engineer
a person qualified and trained to design the illumination for a building, house , event, etc
petroleum engineer
A petroleum engineer is an engineer who is involved in most stages of oil and gas field evaluation, development, and production , whose job is to maximize hydrocarbon recovery and reduce costs and environmental impact .
service engineer
someone who maintains and repairs equipment
software engineer
a person who writes computer programs
systems engineer
a person whose job is systems engineering
aeronautic engineer
engineer involved in the design and construction of aeroplanes
agricultural engineer
an engineer who specialises in the design, development, and installation of agricultural and forestry machinery and advises on rural development and the management of natural resources
construction engineer
a person trained in the profession of planning and managing the construction of buildings, bridges , etc
consultant engineer
an engineer who works as a consultant to a project or company
consulting engineer
an engineer who works as a consultant to a project or company
efficiency engineer
a person whose work is to increase the productive efficiency of a business or industry by finding better methods of performing various operations , reducing waste and costs , etc.
electrical engineer
An electrical engineer is a person who uses scientific knowledge to design, construct , and maintain electrical devices.
electronic engineer
a person who is qualified or expert in electronic engineering
electronics engineer
the branch of engineering concerned with the practical applications of electricity
engineer's chain
a unit of length equal to 100 feet
locomotive engineer
an engine driver
refrigeration engineer
an engineer who deals with refrigerators and refrigeration
stationary engineer
a person who operates and maintains stationary engines and mechanical equipment
structural engineer
A structural engineer is an engineer who works on large structures such as roads , bridges , and large buildings.
licensed aircraft engineer
an engineer qualified and licensed to certify the airworthiness of an aircraft
process engineering
the branch of engineering concerned with industrial processes, esp continuous ones, such as the production of petrochemicals
reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is a process in which a product or system is analysed in order to see how it works, so that a similar version of the product or system can be produced more cheaply.
social engineering
the manipulation of the social position and function of individuals in order to manage change in a society
traffic engineering
a discipline which includes the design of highways and pedestrian ways, the study and application of traffic statistics , and the environmental aspects of the transportation of goods and people
aerospace engineering
the branch of engineering that deals with the design, development, testing , and production of aircraft and related systems ( aeronautical engineering ) and of spacecraft , missiles , rocket-propulsion systems, and other equipment operating beyond the earth's atmosphere ( astronautical engineering )
sanitary engineering
the branch of civil engineering associated with the supply of water, disposal of sewage , and other public health services
aeronautical engineering
the branch of engineering concerned with the design, production , and maintenance of aircraft
industrial engineering
the branch of engineering that is concerned with designing and managing systems to make the best use of industrial resources such as workers , materials, equipment , and information
mechanical engineering
the branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction , and operation of machines and machinery