Génie logiciel : le génie logiciel se caractérise par l'ensemble des méthodes et techniques d'ingénierie permettant de produire des logiciels (comme il existe le génie civil, le génie chimique, ...).

Il existe un site anglosaxon qui collectionne les définitions http://wwwsel.iit.nrc.ca/sedefn/SEdefn.html qui propose pour Software Engineering :

Software Engineering is ...

• NATO Science Committee
  ...promoting the establishment of theoretical foundations and practical disciplines for software, similar to those found in the established branches of engineering.
  1967 (quoted by H.R. Berlack, ''Software Configuration Management,'' Wiley, 1992).
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  Fritz Bauer
  The establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to obtain economically software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines.
  NATO Science Committee Conference, 1969 (quoted by R.S. Pressman, ''Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach,'' McGraw-Hill, 1997).
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  Morven Gentleman
  The use of methodologies, tools, and techniques to resolve the practical problems that arise in the construction, deployment, support and evolution of software.
  Institute for Information Technology, NRC Canada, 1990.
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  Stephen Schach
  A discipline whose aim is the production of quality software, software that is delivered on time, within budget, and that satisfies its requirements..
  Vanderbilt University, 1990 (in ''Software Engineering,'' Aksen Assoc., 1990).
• 
  IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology
  (1)The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software; that is, the application of engineering to software.
  (2)The study of approaches as in (1).
• 
  IEEE Std 610.12-1990, 1991.
  CSA Information Technology Vocabulary
  The systematic activities involved in the design, implementation and testing of software to optimize its production and support.
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  Canadian Standards Association, 1992.
  Howard Johnson
  What you do when you have two or more people working on a project.
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  Institute for Information Technology, NRC Canada, 1997.
  Peer Törngren
  What software engineers do.
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  IMI (Industri-Matematik International), 1997 (Paraphrased from Kent Beck's software architecture definition, quoted on Usenet by Grady Booch).
  Rafael J. Barros
  The application of methods and scientific knowledge to create practical cost-effective solutions for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of software and associated products, in the service of mankind.
  Sirio Consulting, R&D Center, San Martin University, Colombia, South America, 1997 (Based on the definition of engineering from Mary Shaw and David Garlan in ''Software Architecture.'' Prentice Hall, 1996).