Artos istilah punika mauwah ring pangawitin abad ka-20 rikala sujana sosial Amerika, kakawitin antuk Thorstein Veblen, nerjemahang unteng-unteng pikayunan saking konsep Jerman Technik ring tengahing "teknologi."
The meaning of the term changed in the early 20th century when American social scientists started with Thorsten Weblan, translating ideas from the German concept of Technik into "technology."