Engineering English
System
Engineering Fundamentals · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A set of interacting components organized to achieve a common function or goal. Engineers analyze systems by studying how their parts exchange energy, material, and information.
Example in context
“The cooling system keeps the engine temperature stable by circulating coolant between the block and the radiator.”
“Soğutma sistemi, soğutma sıvısını blok ile radyatör arasında dolaştırarak motor sıcaklığını sabit tutar.”
Where engineers use it
One of the most universal engineering words, used to describe anything from a hydraulic circuit to a national power grid; engineers need it to define boundaries, interfaces, and overall behavior of interacting parts.
Practice: can you use “System” at work?
Choose a household appliance and describe it as a system: define its boundary, list its inputs and outputs, and name its main interacting subsystems.
Show a model answer
“The whole system must be tested, not just its parts.”
“System” in 21 languages
| English | system |
|---|---|
| Turkish | sistem |
| French | système |
| German | System |
| Spanish | sistema |
| Chinese | 系统 |
| Arabic | نظام |
| Portuguese | sistema |
| Russian | система |
| Japanese | システム |
| Italian | sistema |
| Vietnamese | hệ thống |
| Hindi | प्रणाली |
| Thai | ระบบ |
| Indonesian | sistem |
| Korean | 시스템 |
| Bengali | সিস্টেম |
| Dutch | systeem |
| Swedish | system |
| Finnish | järjestelmä |
| Ukrainian | система |
Frequently asked questions
What does System mean in engineering?
A set of interacting components organized to achieve a common function or goal. Engineers analyze systems by studying how their parts exchange energy, material, and information. In Engineering Fundamentals, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce System?
System is pronounced /ˈsɪstəm/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is System used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The cooling system keeps the engine temperature stable by circulating coolant between the block and the radiator.”
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