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Origin and history of computation

computation(n.)

c. 1400, "act, process, or method of arithmetical calculation," from Latin computationem (nominative computatio), noun of action from past participle stem of computare "to sum up, reckon, compute," from com "with, together" (see com-) + putare "to reckon," originally "to prune," from PIE root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp." From 1713 as "a result of computation, amount reckoned."

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to computation

computational(adj.)

"pertaining to or of the nature of a computation," 1857, from computation + -al (1). Related: Computationally.

com-

word-forming element usually meaning "with, together," from Latin com, archaic form of classical Latin cum "together, together with, in combination," from PIE *kom- "beside, near, by, with" (compare Old English ge-, German ge-). The prefix in Latin sometimes was used as an intensive.

Before vowels and aspirates, it is reduced to co-; before -g-, it is assimilated to cog- or con-; before -l-, assimilated to col-; before -r-, assimilated to cor-; before -c-, -d-, -j-, -n-, -q-, -s-, -t-, and -v-, it is assimilated to con-, which was so frequent that it often was used as the normal form.

*pau-(2)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut, strike, stamp."

It might form all or part of: account; amputate; amputation; anapest; berate; compute; count (v.); depute; deputy; dispute; impute; pave; pavement; pit (n.1) "hole, cavity;" putative; rate (v.1) "to scold;" reputation; repute.

It might also be the source of: Latin pavire "to beat, ram, tread down," putare "to prune;" Greek paiein "to strike;" Lithuanian pjauti "to cut," pjūklas "saw."

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    calculation
    late 14c., calculacioun, "art, manner, or practice of computing by numbers," also "the process of making a horoscope," from Late Latin calculationem (nominative calculatio) "a computation, calculation, reckoning," noun of action from past-participle stem of calculare "to reckon,
    reckoning
    early 14c., rekening, "a narration, account," verbal noun from reckon (v.). The meaning "a settling of accounts" is from mid-14c.; that of "act of counting or computing, a calculation" is from late 14c. as is the sense of "a bill of charges" (in an inn, tavern, etc.). Compare Dut
    algorithm
    1690s, "Arabic system of computation," from French algorithme, refashioned (under mistaken connection with Greek arithmos...The meaning broadened to any method of computation; from mid-20c. especially with reference to computing....
    syllogism
    Modern French syllogisme), from Latin syllogismus, from Greek syllogismos "a syllogism," originally "inference, conclusion; computation...
    ratio
    sense, of mental action, "reason, reasoning, judgment, understanding, that faculty of the mind which forms the basis of computation...Latin ratio often was used to represent or translate Greek logos ("computation, account, esteem, reason") in works of philosophy...
    Logos
    the divine Word, second person of the Christian Trinity," from Greek logos "word, speech, statement, discourse," also "a computation...
    estimation
    late 14c., "action of appraising; manner of judging; opinion," from Old French estimacion "evaluation, value; calculation, planning," from Latin aestimationem (nominative aestimatio) "a valuation," from past participle stem of aestimare "to value" (see esteem (v.)). Meaning "appr
    idea
    late 14c., "archetype, concept of a thing in the mind of God," from Latin idea "Platonic idea, archetype," a word in philosophy, the word (Cicero writes it in Greek) and the idea taken from Greek idea "form; the look of a thing; a kind, sort, nature; mode, fashion," in logic, "a
    extrapolation
    "an approximate calculation made by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data," 1867, noun of action from extrapolate by analogy of interpolation. The original sense was "an inserting of intermediate terms in a mathematical series." The transferred sense of "drawing

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