One of the main contributions from Marx and Engels to economic thought lies in their critique of classical political economy, its method, premises and theoretical development. But not only in their particular critique of what at that time prevailed as the dominant view of economic thought, but also in the very structure of the critique and its logical foundations, which can not only be applied to particular variables of the framework of classical political economy and the views derived from it but can also be extended to other theoretical frameworks. In this order of ideas this article aims to present and critically analyze the definitions of technology that have been used and constructed by the schools of economic thought that have been instituted as the dominant visions, for which the theoretical vision of Marx and Engels, that is, their conception of capitalist society as a whole, capital and social purpose, will be taken as a frame of reference. Among the outstanding results are: a synthesis of the conceptions and definitions of technology of the dominant currents, the limits and scope of these visions with respect to technology and technological development, and the position of the need to advance in the configuration of a critical, alternative and Marxian vision of technology.