computer

/kəmˈpjuːtə/

//kəmˈpjuːtə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"computer" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“computer” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,136. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,136
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especial...

Corpus desk

Index EN-computer · computer · English

computer · rank #1,136 · 12 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,136
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH clean

Nearest frequency peer: clean (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “computer”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “computer” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

computer vs computers
89% similar
computer vs compete
75% similar
computer vs commute
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for computer
PropertyValue
Headwordcomputer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəmˈpjuːtə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,136
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “computer”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).computerlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “clean” (#1,135), “construction” (#1,137), “Canada” (#1,134). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “computer” is #1,136. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around computer (IPA /kəmˈpjuːtə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #1,136 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for computer, with forms such as "ccomputer", "cmoputer", and "commputer". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "computers", "compete", "commute", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. First sense first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. Second sense first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering. The correct English form is computer, spelled C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especially, a small one for personal or home use employed for manipulating text or graphics, accessing the Internet, or playing games or media.
  2. 2
    A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
  3. 3
    A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how computer appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Meronyms: processor, microprocessor, CPU
  2. I spend around 6 hours a day at the computer.

Etymology

From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. First sense first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. Second sense first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering.

Synonyms

'puterboxcalculatorcomputerdata processing machineelectronic brainelectronic computermachinenumber cruncherthinking machine

This word in other languages

computador(Español)ordinateur(Français)Computer(Deutsch)computador(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccomputer
  • cmoputer
  • commputer
  • compputer
  • comptuer
  • compuetr
  • computerr
  • computre
  • computter
  • comupter
  • copmuter
  • ocmputer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of computer - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccomputer1cmoputer2commputer1compputer1comptuer2compuetr2computerr1computre2
Edit distance from "computer"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "computer"?
"computer" is spelled C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /kəmˈpjuːtə/.
What does "computer" mean?
As a noun, "computer" means: A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especial...
What words are commonly confused with "computer"?
"computer" is commonly confused with "computers", "compete", "commute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "computer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "computer" is /kəmˈpjuːtə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "computer"?
From compute + -er. Doublet of cantore, counter, and kontor. First sense first appears c. 1613 in the works of the poet Richard Brathwait. Second sense first appears c. 1897 in the magazine Engineering. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "computer", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

favorite#1,139movement#1,144positive#1,109designed#1,165

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

additional12 variantsexpected12 variantsconsider12 variantsincludes12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list