Etymology Map
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Technique

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a way of carrying out a task

Where does the word "technique" come from? It comes from Greek tekhnē, passing through French before entering English (1817).

1
Stage 1 of 3
tekhnē
Greek · ancient
"art, skill"
Greek, the root of 'technology'
2
Stage 2 of 3
technique
French · 1700s
"technique"
coined in French from 'technikos'
3
Stage 3 of 3
technique
English · 1817
"method of performance"
'technical' dates from the 1600s
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Read the full story

Technique’s story begins in Greek: tekhnē meant “art, skill.” Greek, the root of 'technology'. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as technique. Coined in French from 'technikos'. It reached English by 1817 as technique. 'technical' dates from the 1600s. Today, technique means a way of carrying out a task.