personal computer

American  

noun

1. a compact computer that uses a microprocessor and is designed for individual use, as by a person in an office or at home or school, for such applications as word processing, data management, financial analysis, or computer games. PC

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personal computer British  

noun

1. a small inexpensive computer used in word processing, playing computer games, etc

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personal computer Scientific  

/ pûr′sə-nəl /

1. A computer built around a microprocessor for use by an individual. Personal computers have their own operating systems, software, and peripherals, and can generally be linked to networks.

2. Compare mainframe

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personal computer Cultural  

1. A computer typically used in the home, office, or school. Also a generic term for a PC Microsoft® operating system.

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Etymology

Origin of personal computer

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Laptop chipmakers such as Intel and AMD should be worried about their new rival Nvidia, experts say, after the US hardware titan announced Monday a push into the personal computer market.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Time magazine named the personal computer its "Machine of the Year" in 1982.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The idea of artificial intelligence, let alone a personal computer, was a fantasy at best.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

The explosion in value I enjoyed can be owed to something that happened in the U.S. around 1980: Americans invented the personal computer industry.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Totalitarian systems depend on a monopoly of information and force, and too much information started to slip through the Iron Curtain, thanks to the spread of fax machines, telephones, and, eventually, the personal computer.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• desktop computer
• laptop
• minicomputer
• workstation