techn

Techn, often written as techn-, is a combining form used in English and other languages, derived from the Greek tekhnē meaning art, craft, or skill. In English, the form appears most often as techn- in the construction of words related to technology and applied science, such as technique, technical, technology, technician, technocrat, and technological. The closely related form tech- is more common in modern usage as a standalone prefix or as a noun (tech) referring to technology in general, the tech industry, or tech culture. The separate string "techn" rarely exists as an independent word in contemporary English; it functions as part of longer terms or as a stem in technical vocabulary.

Etymology: From Greek tekhnē via Latin technologia, the term originally signified art, craft, or skill rather than machinery. Over time it broadened to cover systematic knowledge, methods, and machinery associated with modern science.

Usage in other languages: In German and many other European languages the same root appears in words like Technik (technique/technology) and Technologie (technology), Technik- as a combining form, or within compound terms. In Dutch or Swedish similar terms exist (Techniek/teknik).

In summary, techn denotes the shared root underlying words about art, craft, and applied science, most visible today in the field of technology, engineering, and related disciplines, while tech remains the dominant colloquial form in English.

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