Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

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

personal computer British  

noun

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

"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
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

personal computer Cultural  

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

Etymology

Origin of personal computer

First recorded in 1975–80

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.

Fifty years ago, Steve Wozniak knew he built a great personal computer, but the young engineer couldn’t convince his employer, Hewlett-Packard, to buy into the big idea.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

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

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

The personal computer didn’t just change what existing businesses did, for example, but gave rise to entirely new industries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 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

But then—boom! — the personal computer revolution happened, and they had their ten thousand hours in.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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.