- present participle of compute.
computing
Americannoun
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the use of a computer to process data or perform calculations.
-
the act of calculating or reckoning.
noun
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the activity of using computers and writing programs for them
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the study of computers and their implications
adjective
Etymology
Origin of computing
Explanation
Computing is the act of calculating something––adding it up, multiplying it, or doing more complex math functions to it. Computers are named for this process, because they can compute faster than most people. The verb compute comes from a Latin word for pruning. You can think of it like cleaning up piles of data to get a clear result. If you run a shop and have lots of figures, for items sold and returned, and money paid for salaries and overhead, then you'll have to do some computing to know how much money you actually earned that day. It's also a type of engineering.
Vocabulary lists containing computing
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.
Lamm believes advances in AI, quantum computing and bioscience will allow the company to ultimately engineer new forms of life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Its internal design also reduces the amount of computing power needed to analyze incoming light.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Analysts’ estimates of how much computing power Muse might require in the next couple of years range from a fraction of a gigawatt to several.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
A cloud operator raises money, secures power and installs computing equipment.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
As the twentieth century progressed, developments in computing and interpersonal communications technology, which had been evolving somewhat independently, began to converge.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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