First Known Use: 1616
Dictionary
compute
verb com·pute \kəm-ˈpyüt\
: to find out (something) by using mathematical processes
com·put·edcom·put·ing
Full Definition of COMPUTE
transitive verb
: to determine especially by mathematical means; also : to determine or calculate by means of a computer
intransitive verb
1
: to make calculation : reckon
2
: to use a computer
See compute defined for English-language learners
See compute defined for kids
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Origin of COMPUTE
Latin computare — more at count
Rhymes with COMPUTE
acute, astute, Asyût, bear fruit, beetroot, Beirut, birthroot, bloodroot, breadfruit, butut, cahoot, Canute, catsuit, cheroot, choucroute, clubroot, commute, confute, crapshoot, cube root, deaf-mute, depute, dilute, dispute, dry suit, elute, en route, enroot, flight suit, folkmoot, freeboot, galoot, grapefruit, G suit, hardboot, hip boot, hirsute, imbrute, impute, jackboot, jackfruit, jumpsuit, kashruth, lawsuit, long suit, lounge suit, minute, nonsuit, offshoot, outshoot, Paiute, pantsuit, permute, playsuit, pollute, pursuit, recruit, refute, repute, salute, sans doute, seaboot, snowsuit, solute, square root, star fruit, star route, statute, strong suit, sunsuit, sweat suit, swimsuit, take root, taproot, to boot, tracksuit, trade route, transmute, tribute, uproot, volute, wet suit, zoot suit
COMPUTING Defined for Kids
compute
verb com·pute \kəm-ˈpyüt\
com·put·edcom·put·ing
Definition of COMPUTE for Kids
: to find out by using mathematics <compute a total>
Word Root of COMPUTE
The Latin word putāre, meaning “to think,” gives us the root put. Words from the Latin putāre have something to do with thinking. A reputation is what other people think about something or someone. To compute is to use math to think about a bunch of numbers together in order to answer a problem. To dispute is to argue because two or more people think different things.
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