noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/kəmˈpjuːtə/
British, Southern, Standard:/kəmˈpjʉwtə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Wales:/kəmˈpɪʊtə/
Australian, New-Zealand:/kəmˈpjʉːtə/
General-American:/kəmˈpjutɚ/
General-American:[kəmˈpjuɾɚ]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Scotland:/kəmˈpjʉtəɾ/
Northern-Ireland:/kəmˈpjʉtəɹ/
rhymes with -uːtə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 M P Y UW1 T ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Meronyms: processor, microprocessor, CPU
I spend around 6 hours a day at the computer.
As well as saving the photos on my computer, I have them backed up on a USB drive.
David is a computer expert.
Janet works at the computer store.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: 'puter, box
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: machine, device
2
noun
Meaning 2
A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: computator, mental calculator, human calculator
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
A male computer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Qualifier: by restriction
Examples
Coordinate term: (female) computress
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: computator, mental calculator, human calculator
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To use a computer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, nonstandard, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To send via computer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To transfer onto a computer; to computerize.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a machine for performing calculations automatically
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: computing machine, computing device, data processor, electronic computer, information processing system
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: machine
Narrower terms: analog computer, analogue computer, digital computer, home computer, node, client, guest, number cruncher, pari-mutuel machine, totalizer, totaliser, totalizator, totalisator, predictor, server, host, Turing machine, web site, website, internet site, site
8
noun
Meaning 8
an expert at calculation (or at operating calculating machines)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Narrower terms: adder, number cruncher, statistician, actuary, subtracter
History
Etymology
From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. The sense referring to people first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. The sense referring to a machine first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering.
Across languages
Translations
377 source translations are retained for this English entry.