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technical

Etymology and origin of the English word technical

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1617
From
Ancient Greek τεχνικός
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (τέχνη)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈtek.nɪ.kᵊl/[1]

Etymology

It was formed in English, probably from Ancient Greek τεχνικός (tekhnikós, “of art, skilful, systematic”) with the suffix -al,[2][3][4] from τέχνη (tékhnē, “art, skill, craft”).[3][2][4] It may also be an extended form of the older adjective technic (1612).[2][3] Merriam-Webster relates the Greek word to tektōn “carpenter, builder”.[4] It is related to technique, technology and text.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of a person, skilled in a particular art or subject: 1617, in John Hales's Sermons,[2][5] the 1610s in Etymonline.[3]

Semantic evolution

Of words and terms, “peculiar to an art or profession”, it is from 1634 in the OED[5] and the 1650s in Etymonline.[3] The narrower sense, “belonging to the mechanical and professional arts, appropriate to a trade”, is first in Chambers's Cyclopaedia (1727–41).[2][5] “So regarded from a strict or legal point of view”, as in a technical offence, is from 1860.[5] The technical knockout in boxing is from 1921, and the technical foul in basketball from 1934.[3] Technicality is from 1814, in Scott's Waverley.[2]

Timeline

  • 1617 – skilled in an art.[2][5]
  • 1634 – of terms, specialized.[5]
  • 1727–41 – of the mechanical arts.[2][5]
  • 1814 – technicality.[2]
  • 1860 – so regarded in a strict sense.[5]
  • 1921 – technical knockout.[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Relating to a particular science, art, craft or profession; specialized: technical terms.
  2. Relating to practical, mechanical or applied sciences.
  3. Having special practical knowledge or skill.
  4. Relating to technique: technical skill.
  5. According to a strict interpretation of rules: a technical violation.

Noun

  1. (basketball) A technical foul.

Word family

  • technically
  • technicalness
  • technicality
  • biotechnical
  • geotechnical
  • hypertechnical
  • overtechnical
  • pretechnical

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Technical.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/technical. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·