# compute

> English word · Verb · IPA /kəmˈpjuːt/ · frequency rank #16,868

## Definitions
1. To reckon, calculate.
2. To make sense. (commonly used in mimicry of a science fictional robot and spoken in a robotic voice; most frequently in negative constructs)

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **comte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compute-vs-comte)
- **computer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compute-vs-computer)
- **computed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compute-vs-computed)
- **computers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compute-vs-computers)
- **compare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compare-vs-compute)
- **compete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compete-vs-compute)
- **commute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commute-vs-compute)
- **compose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compose-vs-compute)
- **compile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compile-vs-compute)
- **commune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commune-vs-compute)
- **complete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/complete-vs-compute)
- **competed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/competed-vs-compute)
- **commuter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commuter-vs-compute)
- **competes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/competes-vs-compute)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ccompute`, `cmopute`, `commpute`, `comppute`, `comptue`, `compuet`, `computte`, `comupte`, `copmute`, `ocmpute`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/compute