What does technician mean?
A technician is a person with specialized practical knowledge who operates, installs, maintains, or repairs technical equipment. The word is used in many settings, including computing, broadcasting, manufacturing, laboratories, construction, and engineering support. In everyday use, a technician is often someone who fixes or services equipment, but the role can also involve testing, adjustment, quality control, and the safe operation of complex systems. The word is broad enough to describe an aircraft technician, a medical equipment technician, or an audio technician, and it is neutral in both British and American English. Technicians are distinct from engineers, who are more often concerned with design and analysis, and from technologists, who develop or study technological methods. However, these boundaries can overlap according to the specific industry. The term is useful because it emphasizes practical expertise and the hands-on work through which technical knowledge is applied in everyday professional life.
nounA person trained to perform specialized practical work involving technology or technical equipment, especially the installation, operation, maintenance, or repair of such equipment. The term can also refer more broadly to a skilled practitioner in a technical field.
- A person who has specialized practical knowledge and skill in operating, installing, maintaining, or repairing technical equipment.
- A person who carries out skilled technical work in a particular field, such as broadcasting, laboratory science, or industrial production.
"The technician repaired the laboratory equipment while explaining how the system worked."
"A qualified technician inspected the cable connections before the concert."
"Her work as an audiovisual technician required familiarity with lighting, sound, and recording systems."
The standard plural is technicians, formed by adding -s.
"Several technicians inspected the equipment before it was put into service."
A technician makes technology work; a technologist helps decide what technology should become.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of technician
The English word entered through French technicien, which derives from the Greek root tekhnē, meaning art, craft, or skill. English use developed during the 19th century as mechanical and industrial technology became increasingly important. The same Greek root underlies related words such as technique, technical, technology, and technologist.
Related word forms
How technician is actually used
The term is neutral in register and can be used for many technical occupations. In British and American English it commonly describes someone whose work involves practical application rather than the original design of technology, although the distinction from an engineer or technologist varies by workplace.
Easily confused with technician
A technician generally applies technical knowledge through practical operation, installation, maintenance, or repair, whereas a technologist develops or studies new technologies and technical methods.