Online Etymology Dictionary

computer (n.): 1640s, "one who calculates," agent noun from compute (v.). Meaning "calculating machine" (of any type) is from 1897; in modern use, "programmable digital electronic computer" (1945 under this name; theoretical from 1937, as Turing machine). ENIAC (1946) usually is considered the first. Computer literacy is recorded from 1970; an attempt to establish computerate (adjective, on model of literate) in this sense in the early 1980s didn't catch on. Computerese "the jargon of programmers" is from 1960, as are computerize and computerization.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A New York Congressman says the use of computers to record personal data on individuals, such as their credit background, "is just frightening to me." [news article, March 17, 1968]
microcomputer (n.): 1971, from micro- + computer.
supercomputer (n.): 1966, from super- + computer.
cgi: by 2004, initialism (acronym) for computer-generated imagery.
P.C.: abbreviation for personal computer is from 1978; abbreviation for politically correct is by 1990.
desktop (n.): 1929, from desk + top (n.1). As an adjective meaning "suitable for use on a desktop," it is recorded from 1958 (in reference to computers). As a shortening of desktop computer, recorded from 1983. Desktop publishing recorded from 1984.
compute (v.): 1630s, from French computer, from Latin computare "to count, sum up, reckon together," from com- "with" (see com-) + putare "to reckon," originally "to prune" (see pave). Related: Computed; computing.
personal (adj.): late 14c., "pertaining to the self," from Old French personal (12c., Modern French personnel), from Late Latin personalis "pertaining to a person," from Latin persona (see person). Meaning "aimed at some particular person" (usually in a hostile manner) first attested 1610s. The noun sense of "newspaper item about private matters" is attested from 1888. As "a classified ad addressed to an individual," it is recorded from 1861. Personal computer is from 1976.
Microsoft: computer software company, founded 1975.
PowerPoint (n.): Microsoft computer slide show program, 1987.
boot (v.2): "start up a computer," 1975, from bootstrap (v.), a 1958 derived verb from bootstrap (n.) in the computer sense.
mainframe (n.): "central processor of a computer system," 1964, from main (adj.) + frame (n.).
wysiwyg: 1982, computer programmer's acronym from what you see is what you get.
Teletex (n.): proprietary name for a computer data-sharing network, 1978.
Fortran (n.): computer programming language, 1956, from combination of elements from formula + translation.
spyware (n.): by 2000, from spy + ending from software in the computer sense.
server (n.): late 14c., agent noun from serve (v.). Computer sense by 1992.
defragment (v.): 1992, in computer sense, from de- + fragment. Related: Defragmented; defragmenting.
lol: by 1993, computer chat abbreviation of laughing out loud.
screenshot (n.): by 1991, from (computer) screen (n.) + shot (n.) in the photograph sense.
reboot (v.): 1981, from re- + boot (v.) in the computer sense. Related: Rebooted; rebooting.
login: in the computer sense, as one word, by 1983, from log in.
read-out (n.): 1946, in computer sense, from read (v.) + out (adv.).
home (n.): Old English ham "dwelling place, house, abode, fixed residence; estate; village; region, country," from Proto-Germanic *haimaz "home" (source also of Old Frisian hem "home, village," Old Norse heimr "residence, world," heima "home," Danish hjem, Middle Dutch heem, German heim "home," Gothic haims "village"), from PIE *(t)koimo-, suffixed form of root *tkei- "to settle, dwell, be home" (source also of Sanskrit kseti "abides, dwells," Armenian shen "inhabited," Greek kome, Lithuanian kaimas "village;" Old Church Slavonic semija "domestic servants"). As an adjective from 1550s. The old Germanic sense of "village" is preserved in place names and in hamlet.
'Home' in the full range and feeling of [Modern English] home is a conception that belongs distinctively to the word home and some of its Gmc. cognates and is not covered by any single word in most of the IE languages. [Buck]
Slang phrase make (oneself) at home "become comfortable in a place one does not live" dates from 1892 (at home "at one's ease" is from 1510s). To keep the home fires burning is a song title from 1914. To be nothing to write home about "unremarkable" is from 1907. Home movie is from 1919; home computer is from 1967. Home stretch (1841) is from horse racing (see stretch (n.)). Home economics as a school course first attested 1899; the phrase itself by 1879 (as "household management" is the original literal sense of economy, the phrase is etymologically redundant).

Home as the goal in a sport or game is from 1778. Home base in baseball attested by 1856; home plate by 1867. Home team in sports is from 1869; home field "grounds belonging to the local team" is from 1802 (the 1800 citation in OED 2nd ed. print is a date typo, as it refers to baseball in Spokane Falls). Home-field advantage attested from 1955.
BASIC: computer language, 1964, initialism (acronym) for Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code; invented by Hungarian-born U.S. computer scientist John G. Kemeny (1926-1992) and U.S. computer scientist Thomas E. Kurtz (b.1928).
backslash (n.): 1982, new punctuation symbol introduced for computer purposes, from back (adj.) + slash (n.).
workstation (n.): also work-station, 1950, from work (n.) + station (n.). Computer sense is from 1972.
CD-ROM: 1983, in computer jargon; also cd-rom; from compact disc read-only memory.
bitmap (n.): 1973, in computer jargon, from bit (n.2) + map. Literally, a map of bits.
logon: in computer sense, as one word, by 1975, from log (v.) + on.
code (v.): 1815, from code (n.). Specifically in the computer sense from 1947. Related: Coded; coding.
PASCAL: high-level computer programming language, 1971, named for French scholar Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), who invented a calculating machine c. 1642.
Turing machine (n.): 1937, named for English mathematician and computer pioneer Alan M. Turing (1912-1954), who described such a device in 1936.
peripheral (adj.): 1803, from periphery + -al (1). An earlier formation was peripherial (1670s). Related: Peripherally. As a noun, peripherals, "peripheral devices of a computer," is from 1966.
laptop: also lap-top, in reference to a type of portable computer, 1983 (adjective and noun), from lap (n.1) + top (n.1), on model of desktop.
gaming (n.): c. 1500, "gambling," verbal noun from game (v.). From 1980s in reference to video and computer games. Gaming-house is from 1620s; gaming-table from 1590s.
prompt (n.): early 15c., "readiness," from Latin promptus (see prompt (v.)). Meaning "hint, act of prompting" is from 1590s. Computer sense attested by 1977.
smiley (adj.): also smily, "inclined to smile," 1848, from smile (n.) + -y (2). Smiley-face (n.) is from 1981; as a computer icon from 1987.
data (n.): 1640s, plural of datum, from Latin datum "(thing) given," neuter past participle of dare "to give" (see date (n.1)). Meaning "transmittable and storable computer information" first recorded 1946. Data processing is from 1954.
tab (n.3): 1961, shortened form of tablet (especially one of sugar containing LSD). As an abbreviation of tabloid (newspaper) it is 1990s slang. As a short form of tabulator key of a typewriter (later computer) it is recorded from 1916.
hardware (n.): mid-15c., "small metal goods," from hard (adj.) + ware (n.). In the sense of "physical components of a computer" it dates from 1947. Hardware store attested by 1789.
Internet (n.): 1984, "the linked computer networks of the U.S. Defense Department," shortened from internetwork, inter-network, which was used from 1972 in reference to (then-hypothetical) networks involving many separate computers. From inter- "between" + network (n.).
bit (n.2): computerese word, 1948 abbreviation coined by U.S. computer pioneer John W. Tukey (1915-2000) of binary digit, probably chosen for its identity with bit (n.1).
ping (n.): 1835, imitative of the sound of a bullet striking something sharply. Meaning "short, high-pitched electronic pulse" is attested from 1943. As a verb from 1855; in computer sense is from at least 1981. Related: Pinged; pinging.
multitasking (n.): also multi-tasking, 1966, originally in computing, from multi- + tasking (see task). Of humans, by 1998. Related: Multitask (v.). As an adjective, multi-task is recorded from 1954 in a non-computer mechanical context.
software (n.): 1851, soft wares, "woolen or cotton fabrics," also, "relatively perishable consumer goods," from soft + ware (n.). The computer sense is a separate coinage from 1960, based on hardware.
latency (n.): 1630s, "condition of being concealed, unobserved existence," from latent + -cy. Meaning "delay between stimulus and response" is from 1882 (perhaps via the notion of "dormancy"); computer sense (latency time) is from 1954.
firewall (n.): also fire-wall, 1851 as a physical wall meant to prevent the spread of fire in a structure, from fire (n.) + wall (n.). Computer sense (originally figurative) is by 1990.
scanner (n.): 1550s, "person who examines critically," agent noun from scan (v.). From 1927 as a type of mechanical device, in mid-20c. use especially of radar and medical devices; later of computer accessories.
terminal (n.): "end point of a railway line," 1888, from terminal (adj.); sense of "device for communicating with a computer" is first recorded 1954. Earlier "final part of a word" (1831).