In technical texts metaphoric terms are often used to denote notions that have not received a name yet. They perform several functions: expand the scope of information communicated at the same time compressing the information; extending the meaning of the existing linguistic items, they fix new meanings by designating new concepts. Such terms cannot be described in traditional categories due to their complicated semantic structure, and their manifold meaning potential can be revealed only in the particular communicative setting. In the present article we analyse one of the most frequently applied mechanisms of meaning transformation, namely, semantic shift based on metaphoric meaning extension, used in creation of new terms in several technical fields, such as marine, military, civil engineering, technology, mechanics, telecommunications, and computing. Metaphoric terms should be investigated using a combination of methods of semantic, pragmatic and semiotic analyses as they may potentially pose communication problems caused by various reasons, such as ambiguity, polysemy, and culture specific associations embodied in the meaning of a term.