technician

technician — noun

1. a person who has the practical training to repair, operate, or maintain electron

1.nounB1
Definition

a person who has the practical training to repair, operate, or maintain electronic, scientific, or industrial equipment and machines

Example

A technician came to fix our internet router after it stopped working.

Felix is training to become a laboratory technician at the city hospital.

training to become + [type] technician

Common collocations
  • laboratory technician
  • computer technician
  • service technician
  • trained technician
  • experienced technician
Synonyms
  • engineer

    a more advanced, usually degree-level professional who designs systems, while a technician primarily operates or fixes them

  • mechanic

    more specific to vehicle or machine repair; narrower scope than technician

  • specialist

    broader term covering any field; does not specifically imply technical or hands-on work

Common Mistakes

The technician repaired my computer, he diagnosed the problem.
The technician diagnosed the problem before repairing my computer.
In formal writing, avoid comma splices; use a conjunction or restructure.

2. someone who excels at the exact and detailed ways of doing a particular activity

2.nounB2
Definition

someone who excels at the exact and detailed ways of doing a particular activity — such as playing an instrument, dancing, or competing in a sport

Example

Marta is a true tennis technician who practices her serve until it is perfect.

true + [field] technician (emphatic construction)

The pianist played every difficult passage flawlessly — he is a technician of the keyboard.

Common collocations
  • true technician
  • technician of the [sport/art]
Synonyms
  • expert

    broader; can refer to knowledge or skill in any area, not just technical execution

  • master

    implies a higher level of overall excellence, often including creative or artistic judgment beyond mere technique

  • craftsman

    emphasises the care and quality of making things by hand, often in traditional trades

Antonyms
  • amateur

    a person who does something without professional training or high skill

Usage Note

This sense is common in sports commentary and arts criticism. The word is often preceded by an intensifier such as true, real, or pure.

Common Mistakes

He is a technician pianist.
He is a pianist and a true technician.
Technician is a noun, not an adjective; use a relative clause or an appositive.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe people with specialised skills, but they differ in scope and focus. A technician works hands-on with equipment — repairing, operating, or maintaining it — and typically has practical or vocational training. An engineer holds deeper theoretical knowledge and often designs or develops the systems a technician handles. A mechanic specialises specifically in vehicles or machinery and emphasises manual repair work. A specialist is the broadest term: it covers anyone with deep knowledge in any field, not necessarily technical or hands-on. For example, a computer technician replaces faulty hardware, a software engineer designs the operating system, a car mechanic rebuilds the engine, and a marketing specialist plans campaigns. Use technician when the focus is on practical, trained operation of technical equipment.

technician ↗engineer ↗mechanic ↗specialist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • well-trained
  • highly skilled

Phrases

  • trained technician
  • qualified technician
  • certified technician

Prepositions

  • as a technician
  • technician at [place]
  • technician for [company]

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Derived from 'technic' (from Greek 'tekhnē', meaning art, skill, or craft) combined with the suffix '-ian' (meaning a person who practices or is skilled in something). The word entered English in the early 1800s, first describing someone skilled in the practical arts, then later narrowing to specialists in industrial and scientific equipment.