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

See Examples For:

personal computer

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg called Monday for lower barriers for open source AI, as his company introduced a new model that can run on a personal computer.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak soon founded Apple and developed the first mass-market personal computer to reach consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

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

From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2026

The research lab was already known to Silicon Valley cognoscenti for having invented a personal computer called the Alto and the precursor to the Ethernet networking system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 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