microcomputer

noun

"microcomputer" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“microcomputer” is uncommon English (frequency #66,833 among 4,057 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#66,833
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A computer designed around a microprocessor, smaller than a minicomputer or a mainframe.

Corpus desk

Index EN-microcomputer · microcomputer · English

microcomputer · rank #66,833 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #66,833
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH Middleburg

Nearest frequency peer: Middleburg (+2 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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “microcomputer”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “microcomputer” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for microcomputer
PropertyValue
Headwordmicrocomputer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters13
Frequency rank#66,833
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “microcomputer” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).microcomputerlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Middleburg” (#66,835), “McIver” (#66,826), “moccasin” (#66,840). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

microcomputer is uncommon English at frequency #66,833 among 4,057 “M” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for microcomputer in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From micro- + computer. First use appears c. 1956. See cite below. The correct English form is microcomputer, spelled M-I-C-R-O-C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A computer designed around a microprocessor, smaller than a minicomputer or a mainframe.
  2. 2
    A microprocessor that is based on a single chip.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In recent years, it had become the hallmark of the scientist, much as the stethoscope was that of the physician and the microcomputer that of the statistician.
  2. The operation has installed nine Cygnet CoSystems, computerphones that send memos, letters, and even whole files from one microcomputer to another.

Etymology

From micro- + computer. First use appears c. 1956. See cite below.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

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 "microcomputer"?
"microcomputer" is spelled M-I-C-R-O-C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R.
What does "microcomputer" mean?
As a noun, "microcomputer" means: A computer designed around a microprocessor, smaller than a minicomputer or a mainframe.
What is the origin of the word "microcomputer"?
From micro- + computer. First use appears c. 1956. See cite below. 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 "microcomputer", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

What to do next

You've looked up "microcomputer". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #66,833 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "M" letter cohort. M–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list