English

Adjective

technical ‎(comparative more technical, superlative most technical)

1. Of or pertaining to the useful or mechanic arts, or to any academic, legal, science, engineering, business, or the like terminology with specific and precise meaning or (frequently, as a degree of distinction) shades of meaning; specially appropriate to any art, science or engineering field, or business

   The words of an indictment must be technical.

   • 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 4, in Well Tackled!:

     Technical terms like ferrite, perlite, graphite, and hardenite were bandied to and fro, and when Paget glibly brought out such a rare exotic as ferro-molybdenum, Benson forgot that he was a master ship-builder, […]

   • 2006, Asaf Darr, Selling Technology (page 94)

     One example of the blurring of boundaries is the growing interdependence of social and technical skills. The sales engineers and the clients' engineers are all knowledge workers.

2. (of a person) Technically-minded; adept with science and technology.
3. Relating to, or requiring, technique.

   The performance showed technical virtuosity, but lacked inspiration.

   • 2015, Robert Dineen, Kings of the Road: A Journey into the Heart of British Cycling

     Its design apparently made for interesting racing, with a challenging climb, technical bends and a finishing straight long enough to produce exciting sprints.

4. (securities and other markets) Relating to the internal mechanics of a market rather than more basic factors.

   The market had a technical rally, due to an oversold condition.

Coordinate terms

• (securities and other markets): fundamental

Related terms

• technological
• technically

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

technical ‎(plural technicals)

1. A pickup truck with a gun mounted on it.
   • 2007 January 2, Jeffrey Gettleman, “After 15 Years, Someone’s in Charge in Somalia, if Barely”, in New York Times:

     “Individuals or groups of people who have trucks mounted with antiaircraft guns, known as ‘technicals,’ should bring those battlewagons to Mogadishu’s old port,” he said.

2. (basketball) A technical foul: a violation of sportsmanlike conduct, not involving physical contact.
3. (video games) A special move in certain fighting games that cancels out the effect of an opponent's attack.

Translations

References

• “technical” in the The New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2005
• "technical" in WordNet 3.0, Princeton University, 2006.

Anagrams

• catchline