What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between machine and computer?

machine | computer |

Computer is a synonym of machine.



As nouns the difference between machine and computer

is that machine is a device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect while computer is a person employed to perform computations; one who computes.

As a verb machine

is to make by machinery.

machine

Noun

(en noun)
  • A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=A better waterworks, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=5 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine . Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.}}
  • (archaic) A vehicle operated mechanically; an automobile.
  • (telephony, abbreviation) An answering machine or, by extension, voice mail.
  • (computing) A computer.
  • (figuratively) A person or organisation that seemingly acts like a machine, being particularly efficient, single-minded, or unemotional.
  • Especially, the group that controls a political or similar organization; a combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use.
  • * Landor
  • The whole machine of government ought not to bear upon the people with a weight so heavy and oppressive.
  • Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.
  • (Addison)
  • (euphemistic, obsolete) Penis.
  • {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=3 , He now resumes his attempts in more form: first, he put one of the pillows under me, to give the blank of his aim a more favourable elevation, and another under my head, in ease of it; then spreading my thighs, and placing himself standing between them, made them rest upon his hips; applying then the point of his machine to the slit, into which he sought entrance.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    (Derived terms) * finite state machine * jet machine * machine bolt * machine code * machinegun * machine-gun * machine gun * machine instruction * machine language * machine learning * machine-made * machine of government * machine pistol * machine-readable * machine room * machine screw * machine shop * machine tool * machine-translation * machine translation * machine-washable * pinball machine * sewing machine * simple machine * slot machine

    Verb

    (machin)
  • to make by machinery.
  • to shape or finish by machinery.
  • Derived terms

    * machinist

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    computer

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (now, rare, chiefly, historical) A person employed to perform computations; one who computes.
  • * 1927 , J. B. S. Haldane, Possible Worlds and Other Essays , page 173
  • Only a few years ago Mr. Powers, an American computer , disproved a hypothesis about prime numbers which had held the field for more than 250 years.
  • * 2003 , (Bill Bryson), A Short History of Nearly Everything , BCA, page 116:
  • One Harvard computer , Annie Jump Cannon, used her repetitive acquaintance with the stars to devise a system of stellar classifications so practical that it is still in use today.
  • by restriction, a male computer, where the female computer is called a computress
  • A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especially, a small one for personal or home use employed for manipulating text or graphics, accessing the Internet, or playing games or media.
  • Synonyms

    * (programmable device that performs logical operations) automatic data processing machine, processor, 'puter (informal), box (slang), machine, calculator, portable computer, laptop * See also

    Hyponyms

    * (programmable device that performs logical operations) desktop, laptop * (a person employed to perform computations) computress (f)

    Antonyms

    * (a person employed to perform computations) computress (f) (when "computer" is used to represent the masculine form)

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    See also

    * chip * data processing * desktop * hardware * laptop * mainframe * microprocessor 1000 English basic words ----