Word: engineer Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from: * Middle English enginour (“one who designs, constructs, or operates military works for attack or defence, etc.; machine designer”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman enginour, engigneour [and other forms], and Middle French and Old French engigneor, engigneour, engignier (“one who designs, constructs, or operates military works for attack or defence; architect; carpenter; craftsman; designer; planner; one who deceives or schemes”) (modern French ingénieur), from engin (“contraption, device; machine; invention; creativity, ingenuity; intelligence; deception, ruse, trickery”) + -eor, -or (suffix forming agent nouns); engin is derived from Latin ingenium (“innate or natural quality, nature; intelligence, natural capacity; ability, skill, talent; (Medieval Latin) engine; machine”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + gignere (the present active infinitive of gignō (“to bear, beget, give birth to; to cause, produce, yield”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget, give birth to; to produce”)) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns); and * from engine + -er (occupational suffix); and * from engine + -eer (suffix forming nouns denoting people associated with, concerned with, or engaged in specified activities), possibly modelled after Middle French ingénieur (a variant of Middle French, Old French engigneour; see above), and Italian ingegniere (“engineer”) (obsolete; modern Italian ingegnere). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Medieval Latin, Late Latin ingeniārius (“engineer”) * Medieval Latin ingeniator (“one constructing or using an engine”) * Old Occitan engenhador, enginhador * Portuguese engenhador (obsolete), engenheiro (“engineer”) * Spanish engeñero (obsolete), ingeniero (“engineer”) Pronunciation: /ˌɛn(d)ʒɪˈnɪə/, /ˌɛnd͡ʒɪˈnɪ(ə)ɹ/, /ˈɪn.dʒɪ.ˈniː.jər/, /ɪnˈdʒiː.nɪ.jər/ 1. A soldier engaged in designing or constructing military works for attack or defence, or other engineering works. Labels: also, figuratively Example: For tis the ſport to haue the enginer / Hoiſt with his ovvne petar, an't ſhall goe hard / But I vvill delue one yard belovve their mines, / And blovve them at the Moone: […] Example: Novv he began another Trade, and became an Ingenor, hauing got eight Fire-brands of hell more to him, onely of purpoſe to ſet our houſe a fire. 2. A soldier in charge of operating a weapon; an artilleryman, a gunner. Labels: also, figuratively, obsolete Example: This is hard welcome, but it was not you, / At whom the fatal enginer did ayme, / My breaſt the levell was, though you the marke, / In which conſpiracie anſwere me Duke, / Is not thy ſoule as guiltie as the Earles? Example: Wit's an unruly engine, wildly ſtriking / Sometimes a friend, ſometimes the engineer. 3. A person professionally engaged in the technical design and construction of large-scale private and public works such as bridges, buildings, harbours, railways, roads, etc.; a civil engineer. Labels: broadly Example: [T]o an Enginer alſo, vvho promiſed to bring into the Capitoll huge Columnes vvith ſmall charges, hee gave for his deviſe no meane revvard; and releaſed him his labour in performing that vvorke, ſaying vvithall by vvay of preface, That he ſhould ſuffer him to feed the poore commons. 4. Originally, a person engaged in designing, constructing, or maintaining engines or machinery; now (more generally), a person qualified or professionally engaged in any branch of engineering, or studying to do so. Labels: broadly Example: Macanopoietico, an inginer, an engine-maker. Example: [N]ear St. Laurence-Lane his lordship receives an entertainment from an unparalleled masterpiece of art, called the Crystal Sanctuary, styled by the name of the Temple of Integrity, […] and more to express the invention and the art of the engineer, as also for motion, variety, and the content of the spectators, this Crystal Temple is made to open in many parts, at fit and convenient times, and upon occasion of the speech; […] 5. A person trained to operate an engine. Labels: broadly, historical Example: The machinery [the steam engine] has proved, like the balloon, unmanageable, and flies away with the aeronaut. Steam, from the first, hissed and screamed to warn him; it was dreadful with its explosion, and crushed the engineer. The machinist has wrought and watched, engineers and firemen without number have been sacrificed in learning to tame and guide the monster. Example: The engineer, the deck-hand on the great lakes, or on the Mississippi or St. Lawrence or Sacramento, or Hudson or Paumanok sound, claims him. 6. A person trained to operate an engine. Labels: US, broadly 7. A person trained to operate an engine. Labels: US, broadly 8. Preceded by a qualifying word: a person who uses abilities or knowledge to manipulate events or people. Labels: broadly Example: a political engineer Example: Now that I may not ſeem to paſs my Cenſure raſhly, I deſire that my more intelligent Readers will pleaſe to reduce the following things into Meaning, if they can, and favour us with the Interpretation; being ſome particular Account of the Life of this famous, religious Ingineer, for I know not what elſe to call him, and the Titles of ſome of his Books. 9. A person who formulates plots or schemes; a plotter, a schemer. Labels: broadly, derogatory, often Example: But the trimme ſilke-worme I looked for (as it were in a proper contempt of common fineneſſe) prooveth but a ſilly glow-woorme, and the dreadfull enginer of phraſes, in steede of thunderboltes, ſhooteth nothing but dogboltes and catboltes, and the homelieſt boltes of rude folly: […] Example: No Silius, vve are no good Inginers; / VVe vvant the fine Artes, & their thriuing vſe / Should make vs grac'd, or fauour'd of the Times: / […] / VVe burne vvith no black ſecrets, vvhich can make / Vs deare to the pale Authors; or liue fear'd / Of their ſtill vvaking iealoſies, to raiſe / Our ſelues a Fortune, by ſubuerting theirs. 10. An honorific title given to engineers before their name.