computation

[kom-pyoo-tey-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR computation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an act, process, or method of computing; calculation.

the amount computed.

Origin of computation

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin computātiōn- (stem of computātiō), equivalent to computāt(us) (past participle of computāre; see compute) + -iōn- -ion

Related formscom·pu·ta·tion·al, adjectivecom·pu·ta·tive, adjectivecom·pu·ta·tive·ly, adverbmis·com·pu·ta·tion, nounnon·com·pu·ta·tion, nounre·com·pu·ta·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for computation

calculation, computing, guess, gauge, estimation, reckoning, ciphering

Examples from the Web for computation

Contemporary Examples of computation

Some of the pre-eminent innovators at the intersection of art and coding are based at the Aesthetics and Computation Group at MIT.
Frickin’ Laser Beams Run by Eyeballs: The Next Art Revolution Is Here
Nico Hines
July 7, 2014
Falling behind in computing could mean falling behind in fields that rely on computation to get an edge on rivals.
The U.S. Is Busy Building Supercomputers, but Needs Someone to Run Them
Dan Lyons
December 28, 2011
Why should you, the human being, have to do the mathematical drudgework of doing this kind of computation?
The Google Killer
Nicholas Ciarelli
May 8, 2009

Historical Examples of computation

But I pass over this, and go on to the computation of dates.
A Theological-Political Treatise [Part II]
Benedict of Spinoza
This computation covers only the machine's power to overcome resistance.
Flying Machines
W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
And the odd and even numbers are not the same with the art of computation?
Charmides
Plato
The period of five hours and fifty-four seconds does not enter into their computation.
Les Parsis
D. Menant
Rajcik finished the computation he was working on and gnawed thoughtfully at his pencil.
Death Wish
Robert Sheckley

British Dictionary definitions for computation

computation

noun

a calculation involving numbers or quantities

Derived Formscomputational, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for computation

early 15c., from Middle French computation, from Latin computationem (nominative computatio), noun of action from past participle stem of computare "to sum up, reckon, compute" (see compute).