computer (English)

Where does "computer" come from?

The English verb 'computer' is formed by combining 'compute' with the agent suffix '-er'[1]. The underlying root traces back to Proto-Indo-European '*pewH-' through an ancestral etymological tree. The broader word family eventually gave rise to the 17th century English 'compute', which was borrowed from French 'computer' and ultimately derived from Latin 'computō'[2].

Open questions

• The involvement of the Latin form 'putus' is questioned with a possible alternative path. [2]

Full etymology tree

• computer (English), 'To use a computer.'
  • derived compute (English), 'To reckon, calculate.'
  • suffix -er (English), 'A person or thing that does an action indicated by the root verb; used to form an agent noun.'

Ancestors

• *pewH- (Proto-Indo-European)

Cognates and doublets

• cantore (English)
• counter (English)
• kontor (English)

Descendants and derived words

• computered (English)
• computering (English)
• computering (English)

Sources

1. computer (English) - Wiktionary
2. compute (English) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris