- present participle of compute.
computing
Americannoun
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the use of a computer to process data or perform calculations.
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the act of calculating or reckoning.
noun
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the activity of using computers and writing programs for them
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the study of computers and their implications
adjective
Etymology
Origin of computing
Explanation
Computing is the act of calculating something––adding it up, multiplying it, or doing more complex math functions to it. Computers are named for this process, because they can compute faster than most people. The verb compute comes from a Latin word for pruning. You can think of it like cleaning up piles of data to get a clear result. If you run a shop and have lots of figures, for items sold and returned, and money paid for salaries and overhead, then you'll have to do some computing to know how much money you actually earned that day. It's also a type of engineering.
Vocabulary lists containing computing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Over the past six months, the Russell 2000 benefited from a boom in shares of technology stocks and, in particular, highly-speculative names tied to popular themes like quantum computing, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
Compared with asking a chatbot a question, asking an agent to complete a task can require 50 times as much computing power, according to Jim Schneider, a senior equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
Investors have pointed to a number of issues driving the selloff, including the fear that quantum computing could eventually threaten the encryption that helps keep bitcoin secure.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
Barclays analysts described China as an emerging quantum computing hub, noting that “state involvement in the industry has intensified in the last two years.”
From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026
When they needed more computing power, engineers trusted Dorothy to staff the right person for the job, often hoping that she was at the top of her own list.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
