ergonomics
ergonomics Lexical Profile
ergonomics Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially done in order to improve effectiveness, comfort, and safety in the workplace.
"Specialists in ergonomics evaluated the assembly line to reduce repetitive strain injuries among the factory workers."
The design characteristics of an object, system, or environment that determine how comfortably, safely, and efficiently a person can interact with it.
"The ergonomics of the new office chairs helped alleviate her chronic lower back pain."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the academic or scientific discipline itself, 'ergonomics' is treated as a singular uncountable noun (e.g., 'Ergonomics is an important field'); when referring to the specific design features of a product or workspace, it is often used with a plural verb (e.g., 'The ergonomics of the new chair are excellent').
• Rhymes for ergonomics
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century by Polish scholar Wojciech Jastrzębowski and popularized in English around 1949, formed from Ancient Greek 'ergon' (meaning 'work') and 'nomos' (meaning 'natural law' or 'distribution').