Standard Lemma guide

cybernetic

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌsaɪbə(ɹ)ˈnɛtɪk/
  • US: /ˌsaɪbɚˈnɛtɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛtɪk

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or relating to cybernetics—the mathematical study of communication and control in living organisms or machines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or relating to computers and the Internet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

of or relating the principles of cybernetics

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • cybernetic research

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κυβερνητικός (kubernētikós, “good at steering, good pilot”), from κυβερνητική τέχνη (kubernētikḗ tékhnē, “the pilot’s art”), from Ancient Greek κυβερνισμός (kubernismós), κυβέρνησις (kubérnēsis, “steering, pilotage, guiding”), from κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, to drive, to guide, to act as a pilot”) (which is also ultimately the root of govern). The term first recorded in English in 1948.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: кібернеты́чны (kibjernjetýčny) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Catalan: cibernètic — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Chinese Mandarin: 控制論的 /控制论的 (kòngzhìlùn de) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Czech: kybernetický — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Danish: kybernetisk — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Dutch: cybernetisch — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Dutch: stuurkundig — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Estonian: küberneetiline — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Finnish: kyberneettinen — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • French: cybernétique — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • German: kybernetisch — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Greek: κυβερνητικός (kyvernitikós) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Icelandic: stýrifræðilegur — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Kazakh: кибернетикалық (kibernetikalyq) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Polish: cybernetyczny — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Romanian: cibernetic — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Russian: кибернети́ческий (kibernɛtíčeskij) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Spanish: cibernético — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Swedish: cybernetisk — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Ukrainian: кібернети́чний (kibernetýčnyj) — relating to the mathematical study of control
  • Chinese Mandarin: 電腦的 /电脑的 (diànnǎo de) — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Chinese Mandarin: 互聯網的 /互联网的 (hùliánwǎng de) — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Dutch: cyber- — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Dutch: computer- — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Finnish: kyber- — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Finnish: kyberneettinen — relating to computers and the Internet
  • French: cybernétique — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Polish: cybernetyczny — relating to computers and the Internet
  • Spanish: cibernético — relating to computers and the Internet
Real reading context

cybernetic in complete knowledge articles