What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Technical vs Practical - What's the difference?

technical | practical |

As nouns the difference between practical and technical

is that practical is a part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability while technical is a pickup truck with a gun mounted on it.

As adjectives the difference between practical and technical

is that practical is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis while technical is of or pertaining to the useful or mechanic arts, or to any academic, legal, science, engineering, business, or the like terminology with specific and precise meaning or (frequently, as a degree of distinction) shades of meaning; specially appropriate to any art, science or engineering field, or business; as, the words of an indictment must be technical.

technical

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to the useful or mechanic arts, or to any academic, legal, science, engineering, business, or the like terminology with specific and precise meaning or (frequently, as a degree of distinction) shades of meaning; specially appropriate to any art, science or engineering field, or business; as, the words of an indictment must be technical.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1928, author=Lawrence R. Bourne
  • , title=Well Tackled! , chapter=4 citation , passage=Technical terms like ferrite, perlite, graphite, and hardenite were bandied to and fro, and when Paget glibly brought out such a rare exotic as ferro-molybdenum, Benson forgot that he was a master ship-builder, […]}}
  • * 2006 , Asaf Darr, Selling Technology (page 94)
  • One example of the blurring of boundaries is the growing interdependence of social and technical skills. The sales engineers and the clients' engineers are all knowledge workers.
  • (of a person) Technically-minded; adept with science and technology.
  • Relating to technique.
  • The performance showed technical virtuosity, but lacked inspiration.
  • (securities and other markets) Relating to the internal mechanics of a market rather than more basic factors.
  • The market had a technical rally, due to an oversold condition.

    Coordinate terms

    * (securities and other markets) fundamental

    Derived terms

    * technicality * technical analysis * technical drawing * technical knockout * technical meaning * technical sense * technical term

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A pickup truck with a gun mounted on it.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=January 2, author=Jeffrey Gettleman, title=After 15 Years, Someone’s in Charge in Somalia, if Barely, work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=“Individuals or groups of people who have trucks mounted with antiaircraft guns, known as ‘technicals ,’ should bring those battlewagons to Mogadishu’s old port,” he said.}}
  • (basketball) A technical foul: a violation of sportsmanlike conduct, not involving physical contact.
  • A special move in certain fighting games that cancels out the effect of an opponent's attack.
  • References

    * *

    Anagrams

    *

    practical

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (British) A part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
  • Jack didn't get an engineering degree, but has practical knowledge of metalworking.
  • Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use
  • Jack's knowledge has the practical benefit of giving us useful prototype parts.
  • Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical
  • All in all, Jack's a very practical chap

    Antonyms

    * (based on practice or action) theoretical * (being likely to effective and applicable to a real situation) impractical * (of a person) impractical

    Derived terms

    * practicality * practically