noun
Other Word Forms
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”; see compute) + -iō -ion
Explanation
Computation is what you do when you calculate something, like a simple math problem or something involving quantum mechanics or — worse — even your taxes. People have invented all kinds of machines to help with computation, from the abacus to the computer, and, in fact, when computers were first invented (and when one computer could easily fill a large room), using a computer was called computation. Much of what made computers so revolutionary was that in a relatively short time they could do a complex mathematical computation that would take a human many lifetimes to do.
Vocabulary lists containing computation
"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
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Expressions and Equations
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Henry David Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" (1849)
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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.
The company’s chips are built for inference workloads, a form of computation that allows an AI model to respond to user queries.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Korinek, the UVA professor, says that for now the amount spent on AI computation isn’t so big that a tax on it would provide a windfall.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
The company has seen strong orders from major technology firms for high-bandwidth memory -- a type of chip used in data centres and AI "accelerators", which are useful in carrying out demanding tasks and computation.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
There is a persistent belief in certain corners of the tech world that complex social problems can be eliminated through computation.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026
The high point in indigenous Chinese astronomy occurred around 1280, with the work of Kuo Shou-ching, who used an observational baseline of 1,500 years and improved both astronomical instruments and mathematical techniques for computation.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
