computer

English Online Dictionary. What means computer‎? What does computer mean?

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kəmˈpjuːtə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /kəmˈpjutɚ/, [kəmˈpʰjuɾɚ]
• Rhymes: -uːtə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: com‧put‧er

Noun

computer (plural computers)

1. (now rare, chiefly historical) A person employed to perform computations; one who computes. [from 17th c.]

   Synonyms: computator, mental calculator, human calculator

   Hyponym: computress

   1. (by restriction, chiefly historical) A male computer.

      Coordinate term: (female) computress

3. 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. [from 20th c.]

   Synonyms: processor, (informal) 'puter, (slang) box, machine, calculator; see also Thesaurus:computer

   Hyponyms: desktop, laptop, portable computer, stored-program computer

Usage notes

• In modern everyday use, smartphones and tablets are not typically referred to as computers.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:computer.

Hypernyms

• (programmable electronic device): electronic device, machine

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Translations

Verb

computer (third-person singular simple present computers, present participle computering, simple past and past participle computered) (rare, nonstandard)

1. (intransitive) To use a computer.
2. (transitive) To send via computer.
3. (transitive) To transfer onto a computer; to computerize.

Derived terms

See also

References

• Richard Brathwaite, Of the Mortalite of Man, 1613
• computer – Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989).

Further reading

• Category:computer on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from English computer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʰʌmˈpʰj̊uːd̥ɐ], [kʰʌmˈpʰj̊uːtˢɐ]

Noun

computer c (singular definite computeren, plural indefinite computere)

1. computer (machine)

Declension

Dutch

Alternative forms

• kompjoeter (eye dialect, humorous)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔmˈpjutər/
• Hyphenation: com‧pu‧ter
• Rhymes: -utər

Etymology 1

Unadapted borrowing from English computer.

Noun

computer m (plural computers, diminutive computertje n)

1. computer

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Trió: konpëjutë

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

computer

1. inflection of computeren:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin computāre (“to compute, sum up”). See also the doublets compter and conter.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.py.te/
• Homophones: computai, computé, computée, computées, computés, computez

Verb

computer

1. (archaic, rare) to compute

Conjugation

See also

• supputer
• compter

Further reading

• “computer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• compteur

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English computer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /komˈpju.ter/
• Rhymes: -uter
• Hyphenation: com‧pù‧ter

Noun

computer m (invariable)

1. computer (calculating device)

   Synonyms: calcolatore, elaboratore

References

Latin

Verb

computer

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of computō

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English computer.

Pronunciation

Noun

computer n (plural computere)

1. computer

   Synonyms: calculator, ordinator

Declension

Related terms

• computa

Romansch

Etymology

Borrowed from English computer.

Noun

computer m (plural computers)

1. computer

   Synonym: calculater