compute

compute
\ \ [17] Latin computāre meant ‘reckon together’. It was a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘together’ and putāre ‘reckon, think’ (source of English putative and various derived forms such as amputate, deputy, dispute, impute, and reputation). It was borrowed into Old French as compter, from which English got count, but English compute was a direct borrowing from Latin. The derivative computer was coined in the mid-17th century, and originally meant simply ‘person who computes’; the modern meaning developed via ‘device for calculating’ at the end of the 19th century and ‘electronic brain’ in the 1940s.
\ \ Cf.⇒ AMPUTATE, COUNT, DEPUTY, DISPUTE, IMPUTE, PUTATIVE, REPUTATION

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Compute — Com*pute (k[o^]m*p[=u]t ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Computed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Computing}.] [L. computare. See {Count}, v. t.] To determine by calculation; to reckon; to count. [1913 Webster] Two days, as we compute the days of heaven. Milton. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • compute — [kəm pyo͞ot′] vt. computed, computing [L computare < com , with + putare, to reckon, orig., to prune: see PURE] 1. to determine (a number, amount, etc.) by arithmetic; calculate 2. to determine or calculate by using a computer vi. 1. to… …   English World dictionary

  • Compute — Com*pute , n. [L. computus: cf. F. comput.] Computation. [R.] Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • compute — 1630s, from Fr. computer, from L. computare to count, sum up, reckon together, from com with (see COM (Cf. com )) + putare to reckon, originally to prune (see PAVE (Cf. pave)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • compute — *calculate, reckon, estimate Analogous words: *count, enumerate, number: sum, total, tot, figure, cast, *add …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • compute — [v] calculate, estimate add up, cast up, cipher, count, count heads, count noses, cut ice*, dope out*, enumerate, figure, figure out, gauge, keep tabs*, measure, rate, reckon, run down, size up, sum, take account of, take one’s measure, tally,… …   New thesaurus

  • compute — ► VERB ▪ reckon or calculate (a figure or amount). DERIVATIVES computable adjective. ORIGIN Latin computare, from putare settle (an account) …   English terms dictionary

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