engineer

 
Pronunciation: /ɛndʒɪˈnɪə/

noun

  • 1a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures.
  • a person qualified in a branch of engineering, especially as a professional: an aeronautical engineer
  • 2a person who controls an engine, especially on an aircraft or ship.
  • North American a train driver.
  • 3a skilful contriver or originator of something: the prime engineer of the approach

verb

[with object]
  • 1design and build (a machine or structure): the men who engineered the tunnel
  • modify (an organism) by manipulating its genetic material: (as adjective, with submodifier engineered) genetically engineered plants
  • 2skilfully arrange for (something) to occur: she engineered another meeting with him

Origin:

Middle English (denoting a designer and constructor of fortifications and weapons; formerly also as ingineer): in early use from Old French engigneor, from medieval Latin ingeniator, from ingeniare 'contrive, devise', from Latin ingenium (see engine); in later use from French ingénieur or Italian ingegnere, also based on Latin ingenium, with the ending influenced by -eer