Added 7 October 2026
computer
/kəmˈpjuː.tə/ noun
In Latin: computātōrium, computātrum, ōrdinātrum Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about computer at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especially, a small one for personal or home use employed for manipulating text or graphics, accessing the Internet, or playing games or media. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
I spend around 6 hours a day at the computer.
- A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
- A male computer.
verb
- To use a computer.
- To send via computer.
- To transfer onto a computer; to computerize.
Origin
From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. The sense referring to people first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. The sense referring to a machine first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)