TOP

Definition of engineer noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

engineer

noun
 
/ˌendʒɪˈnɪə(r)/
 
/ˌendʒɪˈnɪr/
jump to other results
  1. a person whose job involves designing and building engines, machines, roads, bridges, etc.
    • We worked with a team of scientists and engineers.
    • You need the advice of a qualified engineer.
    • engineers who designed and built advanced military aircraft
    see also chemical engineer, civil engineer, electrical engineer, lighting engineer, mechanical engineer, recording engineer, software engineer, sound engineer, structural engineerTopics Jobsa2, Engineeringa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • chief
    • chartered
    • qualified
    engineer + verb
    • build something
    • design something
    • develop something
    See full entry
  2. a person who is trained to repair machines and electrical equipment
    • They're sending an engineer to fix the problem with the heating.
    • We were on the phone with a technical support engineer.
    Topics Jobsa2, Engineeringa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • qualified
    • skilled
    • trained
    verb + engineer
    • call in
    • call out
    See full entry
  3. a person whose job is to control and repair engines, especially on a ship or an aircraft
    • a flight engineer
    • the chief engineer on a cruise liner
    Topics Transport by waterb1, Transport by airb1, Jobsb1, Engineeringb1
  4. (North American English)
    (British English engine driver)
    a person whose job is driving a railway engine
  5. a soldier trained to design and build military structures
  6. Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a designer and constructor of fortifications and weapons; formerly also as ingineer): in early use from Old French engigneor, from medieval Latin ingeniator, from ingeniare ‘contrive, devise’, from Latin ingenium ‘talent, device’, from in- ‘in’ + gignere ‘beget’; in later use from French ingénieur or Italian ingegnere, also based on Latin ingenium, with the ending influenced by -eer.
See engineer in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee engineer in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
given
adjective
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL spoken words
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day