3 syllables: com, put, er. Stress on put.
kuhm-PYOO-tur
/kəmˈpjutɚ/
computer is pronounced kuhm-PYOO-tur (/kəmˈpjutɚ/). It has three syllables (com-put-er), with the stress on "put". Computer is a handheld or desktop device that processes data and runs programs. In everyday speech, it refers specifically to a digital machine that executes arithmetic and logical operations under program control, often interfacing with users via a screen and keyboard. The term encompasses both hardware and software ecosystems and is fundamental in modern computation contexts.
nounComputer is a handheld or desktop device that processes data and runs programs. In everyday speech, it refers specifically to a digital machine that executes arithmetic and logical operations under program control, often interfacing with users via a screen and keyboard. The term encompasses both hardware and software ecosystems and is fundamental in modern computation contexts.
"I bought a new computer for my home office and set up a dual-monitor workspace."
"During the video call, my computer GPU handled the background rendering smoothly."
"The lab uses a cluster of computers to run simulations overnight."
Say /kəmˈpjuːtər/ in US or /kəmˈpjuːtə/ in UK/AU. The primary stress is on the second syllable: /-PYOO-/ with the /j/ as the y-glide before /uː/. Start with a relaxed initial /k/, then a schwa in the first syllable, glide into /pjuː/ for the second, and finish with /tər/ or /tə/ depending on rhoticity. Audio reference: listen to native tech talks or Cambridge/Oxford pronunciations and imitate the rhythm of “kuhm-PYOO-tər.”
Common errors include: misplacing the /j/ glide, saying /kəmpjuːtər/ with a hard /ju/ blend or dropping the /t/ leading to /kəmˈpjuːər/. Another frequent issue is stressing the first syllable rather than the second. To correct, emphasize the /PYOO/ portion with a light but distinct /j/ before the long /uː/ and keep the /t/ crisp before the final /ər/ or /ə/ depending on accent.
In US English, you’ll hear a pronounced rhotic /r/ at the end: /kəmˈpjuːtər/. UK/AU accents tend to be non-rhotic, ending with a weaker /tə/ or /tər/ depending on linking; the /r/ often not pronounced when not followed by a vowel. The /juː/ vowel quality remains similar, but Australians may have a slightly brighter /uː/ and stronger monosyllabic timing in casual speech. Overall, stress remains on the second syllable in all three, with rhoticity being the main divergence.
The difficulty centers on the /pj/ sequence in /pjuː/ and the diphthong /juː/ following the /m/ cluster, plus the final /tər/ vs /tə/ depending on rhoticity. The tongue moves from an alveolar /t/ toward a palatalized /j/ glide quickly, which can blur in fast speech. Also, the initial /k/ followed by a central /ə/ in unstressed syllable challenges learners to keep the unstressed vowel compact and the stress clear on the second syllable.
A distinctive feature is the /pj/ ligature in /pjuː/ after the /m/—you articulate a smooth palatal glide from /p/ into /j/ before the long /uː/. This is a common source of error for non-native speakers who may split it as /pj/ or mis-timed the glide. Focus on keeping the lips rounded into /uː/ while the blade of the tongue lightly approaches the hard palate for the /j/ to create the correct y-like sound.
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Computer derives from the Latin word computare, meaning to reckon or calculate. The root comput- comes from computus, meaning a calculation or computation, and the suffix -er denotes a person or thing that performs an action. The concept emerged in the early modern period when devices or people that performed calculations were termed computers. Initially, people called human calculators ‘computers,’ especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. With the advent of mechanical calculation devices in the 19th century, the term began to shift toward machines. The modern sense of computer as an electronic data-processing device developed in the 1940s–1950s in the context of mainframe and lab computers. By the late 20th century, personal computers (PCs) became ubiquitous in homes and offices, expanding the term’s usage to include consumer electronics and portable devices. First known uses refer to both human and machine calculators, but the 1940s onward cemented the machine-oriented interpretation that dominates today’s technical and popular use.
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Words that rhyme with "computer"
-mer sounds
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