English Explanatory Dictionary

computer

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especially, a small one for personal or home use employed for manipulating text or graphics, accessing the Internet, or playing games or media.
  2. A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
  3. A male computer.
verb
  1. To use a computer.
  2. To send via computer.
  3. To transfer onto a computer; to computerize.

Pronunciation

/kəmˈpjuːtə/ /kəmˈpjʉwtə/ En-uk-computer.ogg /kəmˈpɪʊtə/ /kəmˈpjʉːtə/ /kəmˈpjutɚ/ [kəmˈpjuɾɚ] En-us-computer.ogg /kəmˈpjʉtəɾ/ /kəmˈpjʉtəɹ/

Word forms

computer computers computor computering computered

Etymology

From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. First sense first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. Second sense first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering.

Synonyms

'puter box calculator computer data processing machine electronic brain electronic computer machine number cruncher thinking machine computator mental calculator human calculator

Related words

computation compute computing computus software chip data processing desktop hardware laptop mainframe microprocessor

Derived words

anticomputer compucondria compunications compusex computeracy computer-aided design computer-aided translation computer architecture computerate computerbased computer-based computer-based teaching computer chess computer chip computercide computer code computer conferencing computer-controlled timing computer core computer dating computerdom computer engineer computer engineering computerese computeresque computerette computerful computer game Computergate computer graphics computerholic computer illiteracy computer illiterate computerisation computerise computerism computerist computeristic computeritis computerize computer lab computerland computer language computerless computerlike computer literacy computer-literate computer literate computerlore computer-mediated communication computer model computer network computernik computerologist computerology computer paper computer person computerphile computerphobe computerphobia

Translations

Arabic: مُحَاسِب Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܡܲܚܫܒ݂ܵܢܵܐ Bulgarian: изчисли́тел Catalan: computador Catalan: calculador Chinese Mandarin: 計算者 /计算者 Chinese Mandarin: 計算員 /计算员 Czech: sčítač Dutch: rekenaar Esperanto: komputisto Estonian: arvutaja Finnish: laskija Greek: λογιστής Greek: λογίστρια Hungarian: fejszámoló Japanese: 計算手 Macedonian: пресметувач Manx: co-earrooder Middle English: countour Old English: rīmere Polish: rachmistrz Polish: kalkulator Polish: kalkulatorka Portuguese: computador Portuguese: calculista Russian: вычисли́тель Russian: вычисли́тельница Russian: расчётчик Russian: расчётчица Russian: счётчик Russian: счётчица Sicilian: cuntaturi Sicilian: raggiuneri Spanish: computador Spanish: calculador Swedish: mänsklig beräknare Swedish: mänsklig räknare Swedish: räknare Swedish: beräknare Tagalog: taga-kompyut
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