Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “computer” come from?

Computer comes from French computer, from Latin computāre meaning to count together, from com- meaning together and putāre meaning to reckon.

computer (English): A person employed to perform computations; one...

Definitions

  1. A person employed to perform computations; one...

Ancestry of “computer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcomputeTo reckon or calculate; To make sense;...
2Frenchcomputerto compute
3Latincomputāre—
4Latincomputō—
5Latincom-allomorph of con-
6Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “computer”

  • computerization
  • supercomputer
  • computerbased
  • minicomputer
  • computerize
  • noncomputer
  • precomputer
  • multicomputer
  • computerise
  • compy
  • computerese
  • computerlike
  • biocomputer
  • nanocomputer
  • computery
  • computerless
  • computerphobe
  • computerphobia
  • computerdom
  • intercomputer
  • neurocomputer
  • computerland
  • computerizable
  • telecomputer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →