computer science

American  

noun

1. the science that deals with the theory and methods of processing information in digital computers, the design of computer hardware and software, and the applications of computers.

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computer science British  

noun

1. the study of computers and their application

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computer science Scientific  

1. The study of the design and operation of computer hardware and software, and of the application of computer technology to science, business, and the arts.

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Other Word Forms

• computer scientist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of computer science

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

"I think it's really impacted how people are learning," said Lucy Zimmerman, a computer science major who served as a teaching assistant.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

This was considered among the most important unsolved problems in combinatorics, a prominent branch of math and computer science dealing with finite objects and arrangements.

From Slate • Jun. 22, 2026

She is a graduate of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, where she reported for the Brown Daily Herald and studied computer science, public policy, and graphic design.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

A Chinese national, he has a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University, according to the lawsuit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Her mother taught computer science and her dad mathematics.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• artificial intelligence
• computer technology
• data processing
• information technology
• robotics