# cybernetics

/sˌaɪbənˈɛtɪks/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cybernetics
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

the study of how humans, animals, and machines control themselves and communicate information. It looks at how systems use feedback to stay balanced or reach a goal.

For teachers: the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems, focusing on the flow of information and feedback loops in both biological and mechanical contexts.

## Examples

- Cybernetics helps us understand how robots can mimic human movement.
- Early research in cybernetics paved the way for modern artificial intelligence by studying how machines could learn from their own mistakes.
- The principles of cybernetics are applied across diverse fields, from engineering and biology to sociology, to model how complex systems maintain stability through self-regulation.

## Usage notes

- Takes a singular verb despite the 's' ending, similar to 'physics' or 'mathematics'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.