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compute

Syllabification: (com·pute)
Pronunciation: /kəmˈpyo͞ot/

Definition of compute

verb

[with object]
  • calculate or reckon (a figure or amount):we can compute the exact increase depreciation is computed by applying the straight-line method
  • [no object] make a calculation, especially using a computer:modern circuitry can compute faster than any chess player
  • [no object, with negative] informal seem reasonable; make sense:the idea just doesn’t compute
    [from the phrase does not compute, once used as an error message in computing]

Derivatives

computability

Pronunciation: /kəmˌpyo͞otəˈbilitē/

noun

computable

adjective

computably

Pronunciation: /-blē/

adverb

computist

Pronunciation: /-ˈpyo͞otist/

noun

Origin:

early 17th century: from French computer or Latin computare, from com- 'together' + putare 'to settle (an account)'

compute in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of compute in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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