A person who uses science and math to design, build, or maintain machines, structures, or systems. It can also mean someone who carefully plans and manages a complex event or process.
From Old French *engigneor* ('designer of engines, military machines'), from *engin* ('device, skill') from Latin *ingenium* ('natural talent'). The role expanded from war machines to all kinds of technical systems.
An engineer is basically a professional problem-solver who turns ideas into working reality. The word’s roots in 'talent' and 'invention' show that good engineering is as creative as it is logical.
Engineering professions have historically been male-dominated, and the word 'engineer' has often been implicitly treated as male, with women engineers marginalized or labeled separately. This has influenced hiring, representation, and perceptions of competence.
Use 'engineer' as a fully gender-neutral role term, and avoid assuming gender when referring to engineers; use specific pronouns only when known.
When discussing engineering history and innovation, explicitly include women and gender-diverse engineers whose work has often been overlooked or credited to male colleagues.
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