Word
compute
Phoneticscom·pute, stress on the second syllable
US/kəmˈpjut/
UK/kəmpjˈuːt/
Definition
v. to calculate an answer or amount using math or a computer. In casual conversation, you can also use it to say that you finally understand something that was confusing.
v. to determine a value or result through mathematical calculation or electronic processing. In informal contexts, it functions as a synonym for 'comprehend' or 'make sense of', often used in the negative.
Examples
“The machine needs a few seconds to compute the final total.”
“Scientists use powerful supercomputers to compute the complex data required for accurate weather forecasting.”
“While the hardware can compute millions of operations per second, the human brain still excels at interpreting the nuanced social cues that the algorithm ignores.”
Examples
simple
“The machine needs a few seconds to compute the final total.”
contextual
“Scientists use powerful supercomputers to compute the complex data required for accurate weather forecasting.”
complex
“While the hardware can compute millions of operations per second, the human brain still excels at interpreting the nuanced social cues that the algorithm ignores.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “compute” in context.
Adverb
01. separately compute
“The software will separately compute the tax for each individual transaction to ensure accuracy.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive when referring to calculations; it is often used intransitively in its informal sense of 'understanding'.
Real-World Examples
“It took nearly 15 years, researchers around the world and enough computing power to search through a universe of possibilities to answer one question: Who goes first?” “After all, the most impressive technological achievements of the 21st century have not been in space exploration, but in computing, which allows us to create ever more detailed and powerful models of the world.” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin com- Proto-Italic *putos Latin putus? Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin computō Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Latin computārelbor. French computerbor. English compute 17th century. Borrowed from French computer, from Latin computō (“calculate, compute”). Doublet of count.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/compute