> An engineer is defined as a practitioner of engineering, not a person with an engineering degree.

It goes further than that actually. The term 'engineer' is often legally-protected, and often a degree is a pre-requisite, but isn't the only one. This becomes important when e.g. you're building bridges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_and_licensure_in_eng...

for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Engineer_(UK)

Engineering is a profession for which you need appropriate credentials, just like in any other profession (e.g. scientist). Without credentials, you are not an engineer.

Unless you are talking about 'engineer' in the same way some people talk about 'architect' as in software architect.