computer

American  

[kuhm-pyoo-ter] / kəmˈpju tər /

noun

computers plural

1. a programmable electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations. Mainframes, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones are some of the different types of computers.

2. a computer program or algorithm.

   A computer can write a pop tune, but there's no guarantee it will be a hit.

3. a person who computes; computist.

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computer British  

/ kəmˈpjuːtə /

noun

1. 1. a device, usually electronic, that processes data according to a set of instructions. The digital computer stores data in discrete units and performs arithmetical and logical operations at very high speed. The analog computer has no memory and is slower than the digital computer but has a continuous rather than a discrete input. The hybrid computer combines some of the advantages of digital and analog computers See also digital computer analog computer hybrid computer

   2. ( as modifier )

      computer technology

2. a person who computes or calculates

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computer Scientific  

/ kəm-pyo̅o̅′tər /

1. A programmable machine that performs high-speed processing of numbers, as well as of text, graphics, symbols, and sound. All computers contain a central processing unit that interprets and executes instructions; input devices, such as a keyboard and a mouse, through which data and commands enter the computer; memory that enables the computer to store programs and data; and output devices, such as printers and display screens, that show the results after the computer has processed data.

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computer Cultural  

1. An electronic device that stores and manipulates information. Unlike a calculator, it is able to store a program and retrieve information from its memory. Most computers today are digital, which means they perform operations with quantities represented electronically as digits.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• computerlike
  adjective
• noncomputer
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• computers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of computer

First recorded in 1640–50; compute + -er ¹; compare Middle French computeur

Explanation

Unless you're living in a cave cut off from humanity, you've seen these electronic machines with a screen, keyboard, and brain that stores massive amounts of information. Computers are ubiquitous in offices, airports, schools...even caves cut off from humanity. Though computers are a thoroughly modern invention, the root word that gave them their name dates all the way back to Roman times. Tech geeks dreamed up computer by embellishing the English word compute, which means "to calculate." Compute, in turn, comes from Latin com-, "with" and putare, "to reckon." So, your computer is a device that helps you reckon — or think. It also comes in handy for email and every type of entertainment imaginable.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

computer computers

“If I just took apart this trigger and put it on a printer, how is anyone, computer or human, going to tell me how I intend to use it?” he asked.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

"Suddenly, every coffee shop is full of people coding on their computer or working for an organisation that has never stepped foot in the state of Montana."

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

The researchers also used advanced computer simulations to test whether this explanation could reproduce the behavior seen by JWST.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026

Coding capabilities are regarded as a benchmark for model performance because they enable many AI systems to take over computer use or autonomously complete long-running tasks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Emma puts her postcard aside and turns to the computer.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

At the heart of Denning's argument is the idea of tacit knowledge, the vast amount of human understanding that cannot easily be put into words or represented in a form that computers can process.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

The cameras will act more like computers that also extract data and create 3-D digital twins of the action, which can be used for replays and other viewing experiences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

Unlike a bank, it isn't run by one single authority - it's decentralised, existing across many computers all around the world, making it harder to tax and regulate.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

"Open-source" or "open-weight" models work differently: the developers release the model's core files for anyone to download, modify and run on their own computers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

I didn’t have time to think about it, though, because Salzburg chose that moment to launch himself off the platform and race for the bank of computers.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• PC
• data processor
• desktop computer
• personal computer