Compute
/kəmˈpjuːt/noun
To calculate or determine by mathematical methods.
Did you know?Compute comes from Latin *computare*, literally “to count together,” and its root *putare* also gave English words like “impute” and “repute,” all tied to judgment and reckoning.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pau-
“To cut, strike, or prune; later developments in Latin shifted toward cleansing and reckoning ideas.”
Classical Latin
Latin
computāre
“To count together, calculate, or reckon.”
Late Latin
Latin
computāre
“To calculate or sum up.”
Old French
Old French
computar / compter
“To count, reckon, or calculate.”
Middle English
English
compute
“To reckon or calculate.”
Modern English
English
compute
“To calculate or determine mathematically.”