Technical diagrams that show the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures.
From Greek 'skhema' meaning 'form, shape, figure', through Latin 'schema'. The suffix '-tic' indicates 'relating to', and the plural form became common in technical fields by the early 20th century.
Before computer-aided design, electrical schematics were hand-drawn works of art where engineers developed personal styles as distinctive as handwriting - experienced technicians could often identify who drew a schematic just by looking at the symbol spacing and line weights. Modern circuit boards contain schematics so complex that if printed at readable size, some would cover entire football fields.
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