reverse-engineer

[ ri-vurs-en-juh-neer ]

verb (used with object)

1. to study or analyze (a device, as a microchip for computers) in order to learn details of design, construction, and operation, perhaps to produce a copy or an improved version.

Other Words From

• reverse engineering noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of reverse-engineer¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

That applied not only to pilots’ reports of objects that seemed to have displayed unusual aeronautical behavior, but a farrago of reports in the press, online, and among committed UFO believers about purportedly secret government programs to collect, examine and even attempt to reverse-engineer technology supposedly retrieved from crashed extraterrestrial UAPs.

From Los Angeles Times

He was known for his exhaustive attention to tiny details, digging for subtle bits of evidence — fossilized fleas, swatches of clothing, even the residue from 3,000-year-old beer, which Mr. Kemp helped reverse-engineer, then brew, in 1996.

From New York Times

One consequence of building A.I. systems this way is that it’s difficult to reverse-engineer them or to fix problems by identifying specific bugs in the code.

From New York Times

Seven years removed from the major swing change he made early in his Dodgers career — one that turned the lightly-touted outfield prospect into an everyday player, a 2021 All-Star and the recipient of a $60 million contract before the 2022 season — Taylor tried to reverse-engineer a similar process this offseason.

From Los Angeles Times

This is less like a legitimate judicial or academic enterprise than like a scam to reverse-engineer outcomes to fit a partisan agenda.

From Slate