technically
/ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/adverb
technically is spelled T-E-C-H-N-I-C-A-L-L-Y: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 13 times per million words in written English, the 6,047th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adverb, technically means “Based on precise facts, which, however, may be contrary to common belief or casual terminology” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in technically?
| Letters | 11: T-E-C-H-N-I-C-A-L-L-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 13 times per million words; the 6,047th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is technically?
Technically appears 13 times per million words in written English, the 6,047th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce technically?
- /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/
- /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkli/
- /ˈtɛk.nəˌkli/
Technically has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-technically.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of technically
- more technically comparative
- most technically superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does technically mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adverb
- 1
Based on precise facts, which, however, may be contrary to common belief or casual terminology.
Near-synonym: stricto sensu
- 2
Based on formal (de jure) arguments, which, however, may be misleading.
technically correct
- 3
In terms of technique.
Although she is technically gifted, her piano playing lacks passion.
- 4
In a technical (involving specialized knowledge) way.
- 5
According to the current state of technology.
For now, it is technically impossible to have a manned flight to Mercury.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Technically in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | techniquement , de jure, de droit |
| German | eigentlich, genau genommen , de jure , technisch, fachlich |
| Portuguese | na realidade, tecnicamente , de jure |
| Spanish | en realidad, de hecho, técnicamente |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does technically come from?
From technical + -ly.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).