computatorium

Latin

Alternative forms

• computōrium (Medieval Latin, haplology)

Etymology

From computō (“to reckon”) +‎ -tōrium (locational or instrumental substantivization), neuter of -tōrius. In the medieval attestations, likely a mechanical rendering of the early Romance equivalent of modern French comptoir into proper Latin; in the New Latin sense, translates English computer.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [kɔm.pʊ.taːˈtoː.ri.ũː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [kom.pu.taˈtɔː.ri.um]

Noun

computātōrium n (genitive computātōriī or computātōrī); second declension

1. (Medieval Latin) counter, compter (various inanimate senses)
   1. table, desk or chest for counting (or keeping) money
   2. token used for keeping count
   3. room or house for counting (accounting)
   4. (England) compter, sheriff's court or prison

      Synonym: (Medieval Latin, less common) computārium

2. (New Latin) computer (reckoning device)

   Synonyms: (New Latin) computātrum, ōrdinātrum, ōrdinātōrium

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	computātōrium	computātōria
genitive	computātōriī computātōrī1	computātōriōrum
dative	computātōriō	computātōriīs
accusative	computātōrium	computātōria
ablative	computātōriō	computātōriīs
vocative	computātōrium	computātōria

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

References

• "computatorium", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• computatorius, computatorium, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011