What does technology mean?
Technology is the practical application of scientific knowledge, technical methods, and organized processes to solve problems and create useful products, services, and systems. In everyday use, it can refer both to a field of knowledge and to the tools and equipment created within that field: information technology, medical technology, and agricultural technology all illustrate this flexibility. The term is commonly associated with innovation, scientific progress, and the transformation of everyday life, but it can also evoke concerns about privacy, inequality, environmental impact, or the loss of human skills. As a mass noun, technology normally appears without a plural, although “technologies” is used when particular systems or approaches are being considered individually. Its meaning depends strongly on context, extending from machinery and software to methods, expertise, and the broader relationship between knowledge and practical action.
nounThe application of scientific knowledge, practical techniques, and organized methods to the solution of problems and the production of useful goods and services. It can also refer collectively to the devices, systems, and processes developed through this application.
- The application of scientific knowledge, techniques, and methods to practical problems.
- The collective body of tools, devices, systems, and technical knowledge associated with a field or society.
- A specific technological field or method, as in information technology or agricultural technology.
"Advances in medical technology have made many serious illnesses easier to diagnose and treat."
"The company is investing in technology that can reduce energy consumption."
"Digital technology has transformed the way people communicate and work."
The plural is used for distinct technological systems, methods, or innovations, especially when comparing or classifying them. For the broad field or concept, “technology” is normally uncountable.
"Renewable energy technologies are becoming increasingly affordable."
Technology literally means “knowledge of craft”: its Greek roots combine tekhnē, meaning “art” or “craft,” with -logia, meaning “study” or “science.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does technology come from?
Technology derives from the Greek roots tekhnē, meaning “art,” “craft,” or “skill,” and -logia, meaning “study” or “science.” Early English usage emphasized technology as the systematic study or theory of the mechanical arts and crafts. Over time, especially through industrialization and the development of modern science, its meaning broadened to include applied scientific knowledge, machinery, and organized technical practice.
Related word forms
How technology is actually used
In general use, technology is usually uncountable and can have a broad, collective meaning. Countable uses generally refer to distinct technological systems or innovations, as in “alternative technologies.” It is neutral in tone, though it can sometimes suggest modernity, efficiency, or technological complexity depending on context.
Easily confused with technology
Technology is the broader field or body of practical methods and systems, whereas a technique is a particular skill, method, or procedure.