noun
Other Word Forms
- computational adjective
- computative adjective
- computatively adverb
- miscomputation noun
- noncomputation noun
- recomputation noun
Etymology
Origin of computation
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin computātiōn-, stem of computātiō, from computāt(us) “reckoned” (past participle of computāre “to reckon, sum up”; compute ) + -iō -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If computers can replicate many aspects of reasoning, language and decision-making without exhibiting clear signs of awareness, that fact alone may reveal that consciousness is something more than computation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Compared with GPUs, which were originally designed for gaming, engineers say the TPU is sometimes better suited for large volumes of AI computation that don’t require high precision.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
It could have a significant impact on the cost of computation.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
"Here, chemical design meets computation, not as an analogy, but as a working principle."
From Science Daily • Jan. 3, 2026
The noble and This 1501 print shows two kinds of computation.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
