compute

verb

com·​pute kəm-ˈpyüt How to pronounce compute (audio)
computed; computing

transitive verb

: to determine especially by mathematical means
Compute the area of the triangle.
also : to determine or calculate by means of a computer
computing pi to over one billion places

intransitive verb

1
: to make calculation : reckon
They compute by weight in selling grain.
2
: to use a computer
3
informal : to make sense
No matter how you do the math, it will not work … . It simply does not compute.Chuck Finder

Examples of compute in a Sentence

for the test we were required to compute the answers without using a calculator
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This sell-off indicated a sense that the next wave of AI models may not require the tens of thousands of top-end GPUs that Silicon Valley behemoths have amassed into computing superclusters for the purposes of accelerating their AI innovation. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2025 Instead of trying to create larger and larger models that require increasingly exorbitant amounts of computing resources, AI companies are now focusing more on developing advanced capabilities, like reasoning. Will Knight, WIRED, 28 Jan. 2025 Besides analyzing for violations and complaints by owner and owner-type, the Herald also performed regression analysis to compute the likelihood of a complaint being sustained by different ownership types. Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025 The combination of artificial intelligence (AI), computing and sensing provides significant business incentives and societal benefits by automating tasks that are difficult, dangerous and unappealing to the workforce of the 21st century. Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for compute 

Word History

Etymology

Latin computare — more at count

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of compute was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near compute

Cite this Entry

“Compute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compute. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

compute

verb
com·​pute kəm-ˈpyüt How to pronounce compute (audio)
computed; computing
1
: to determine or calculate especially by mathematical means
also : to determine or calculate by means of a computer
2
informal : to make sense
computable
-ˈpyüt-ə-bəl
adjective
Etymology

from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, count entry 1

More from Merriam-Webster on compute

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