personal computer en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Often attributed to Stewart Brand (1974), but in use before (see quotations).
Meanings
-
A computer for use by one person at a time (using a microprocessor).
He is working on an important project on his personal computer.
“There is no reason to suppose the average boy or girl cannot be master of a personal computer,” he said.
1962 November 3, John Mauchly, quotee, “Pocket Computer May Replace Shopping List”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:Meanwhile the research center is nifty as ever. Virtuoso Peter Deutsch is working on interactive systems for secretaries. They're part way along on the Dynabook fantasy with a working personal computer the size of a breadbox.
1974, Stewart Brand, II Cybernetic Frontiers, New York: Random House, →ISBN, page 88:Near-synonyms: desktop computer, microcomputer
Morse did confirm that the Amiga personal computer will have 128K of random-access memory (RAM) and a single 5¼-inch disk drive with 320K storage.
1984, InfoWorld, volume 6, number 13, page 13:
- (historical) A computer for use by one person at a time (using a microprocessor). ▸ The IBM Personal Computer.
- (dated) A computer for use by one person at a time (using a microprocessor). ▸ A PC-compatible computer.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| personal computers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
workstation · mainframe · minicomputer · minicomputer · minicomputer · workstation · mainframe · workstation · mainframe
Synonyms
PC clone · microcomputer · PC · PC · desktop computer · desktop computer · microcomputer · IBM PC clone · desktop computer · PC · microcomputer
Translations (85)
it computer personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it calcolatore personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · cmn 個人電腦 /个人电脑 (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh osobni kompjuter (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ru персона́льный компью́тер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · es computador personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · bg персона́лен компю́тър (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it elaboratore personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · lt asmeninis kompiuteris (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · gd coimpiutair pearsanta (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it computiere personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sjo ᡝᠮᡨᡝ ᠨᡞᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᠣᡩᠣᡨᡠᠨ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh personalni računar (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · fr ordinateur personnel (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · fa-ira رایانِهٔ شَخْصی (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · be ПК (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it ordinatore personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it computatore personale (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ka პერსონალური კომპიუტერი (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · uk персона́льний комп'ю́тер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · fo egintelda (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ky персоналдык компьютер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · de Personalcomputer (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · lo ຄອມພິວເຕີສ່ວນບຸກຄົນ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ja ＰＣ (pī-shī) (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh personalno računalo (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · hy անհատական համակարգիչ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sjo ᡦᡞ ᠰᡟᡞ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sl osebni računalnik (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ur ذاتی کَمْپْیُوٹَر (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ko 피시 (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · es ordenador personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · fi henkilökohtainen tietokone (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · uz shaxsiy kompyuter (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · cs osobní počítač (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · th คอมพิวเตอร์ส่วนบุคคล (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sk osobný počítač (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · mk личен сметач (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · hi ज़ाती कंप्यूटर (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · es computadora personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · is einkatölva (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · da personlig computer (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · tr kişisel bilgisayar (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ar كَمْبْيُوتَر شَخْصِيّ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · pt computador pessoal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · az şəxsi kompüter (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ms komputer peribadi (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · gl ordenador persoal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ro computer personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sv persondator (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · nv béésh bee akʼeʼelchí áłtsisígíí (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · nl personal computer (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · hi व्यक्तिगत कंप्यूटर (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · et personaalarvuti (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · tg роёнаи шахсӣ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · el προσωπικός υπολογιστής (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh особни компјутер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · hu személyi számítógép (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · id komputer pribadi (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · it personal computer (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · uk ПК (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · bn ব্যক্তিগত কম্পিউটার (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · lv personālais dators (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · tg компутари фардӣ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ja パーソナルコンピューター (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · aii ܚܲܫܘܼܒ݂ܵܐ ܦܲܪܨܘܿܦܵܝܵܐ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ko 개인용 컴퓨터 (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · yue 個人電腦 /个人电脑 (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · nb personlig datamaskin (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh персонални рачунар (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · mn персональ компьютер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · fo telda (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ru ПК (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ro calculator personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · vi máy tính cá nhân (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sq kompjuter personal (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sh персонално рачунало (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · he מחשב אישי (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · si පෞද්ගලික පරිගණකය (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · ja パソコン (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · pl komputer osobisty (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · be персана́льны камп'ю́тар (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · kk дербес компьютер (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · sd ذاتِي ڳڻپيُوڪَرُ (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC) · be пэрсана́льны кампу́тар (small computer for use by one person at a time — see also PC)