personal computern.
/ˌpəːsn̩(ə)l kəmˈpjuːtə/, /ˌpəːsən(ə)l kəmˈpjuːtə/, U.S. /ˌpərsən(ə)l kəmˈpjudər/, /ˌpərsn̩(ə)l kəmˈpjudər/ A computer designed to be used by one person, esp. in a domestic setting. Cf. PC n. at P n. Initialisms.
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society > computing and information technology > hardware > computer > [noun] > personal computer
home computer1949
personal computer1954
microcomputer1956
micro1971
PC1977
desktop1983
1954 W. H. Ware Digital Computer (typescript) (Rand Corporation P-608) 15 A doctor need no longer remember the symptoms of every conceivable disease. His personal computer can do it for him, printing a list of all diseases fitting a stated set of symptoms.
1959 Datamation May 29 (advt.) Your ‘personal computer’ for higher creativity.
1965 Wall St. Jrnl. 22 Mar. 10 (advt.) Specializing in TACAN equipment, communications systems, nucleonics, personal computers, and a line of solid state control systems.
1968 Science 4 Oct. 6 (advt.) Ready to slash through long routines and come up with answers in milliseconds. The new Hewlett-Packard 9100A personal computer.
1974 S. Brand II Cybernetic Frontiers Epilog. 88 They're part way along on the Dynabook fantasy with a working personal computer the size of a breadbox.
1985 Listener 17 Jan. 22/3 There are 400 word processor programs to choose from, and a vast range of personal computers.
1991 H. Rheingold Virtual Reality iii. vi. 135 A small but fanatic subset of computer enthusiasts understood that the personal computer would shape the way businesses worked.
2002 P. Baines & A. Haslam Type & Typogr. i. 6 Since the advent of personal computers, desktop publishing and the more recent development of the World Wide Web, millions of people have become accustomed to using fonts.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1954