For a free trial of World Book Online, click here . Engineering is the profession that puts scientific knowledge to practical use. The word engineering comes from the Latin word ingeniare, which means to design or to create.
Engineers use principles of science to design structures, machines, and products of all kinds.
They look for better ways to use existing resources and often develop new materials. The field of engineering includes a wide variety of activities. For example, engineering projects range from the construction of huge dams to the design of tiny electronic circuits. Engineers may help produce guided missiles, industrial robots, or artificial limbs for people with physical disabilities. They develop complex scientific equipment to explore the reaches of outer space and the depths of the oceans.