Computation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌkɒmpjʊˈteɪʃn̩/

Definitions

1. The process of performing mathematical calculations or logical operations, typically using systematic methods or electronic devices
2. The act of calculating numerical results or solving logical problems through structured methods or automated systems
3. Engaging in the systematic process of deriving numerical values or logical conclusions, often with programming or mechanical tools

Etymology: The word's core idea is counting and reckoning. Its Latin ancestor, "computare," meant "to sum up" or "reckon," built from "com-" (together) and "putare" (to think, reckon, prune). That second element is a useful clue: "putare" once meant to clear or trim, so reckoning was originally a matter of pruning a total down to its essentials, then arriving at the sum. The word reached English through Middle French "computation," which carried the same sense of an arithmetical reckoning. It appeared in late Middle English as "computacioun," and for centuries it referred to calculation by hand, on counters or on paper, long before any machine could do the work. The ending "-ation" is a common suffix that turns a verb into a noun for the act or process, so "computation" is literally the act of computing. The verb "compute" came from the same Latin source, which is why the two words have always moved together.

Synonyms: calculation, computation, reckoning, counting, processing

Antonyms: ignorance, neglect, disregard, confusion, unawareness