number cruncher number-cruncher
(gcide) | Computer \Com*put"er\ (k[o^]m*p[=u]t"[~e]r), n.
1. One who computes.
2. (Computers) an electronic device for performing
calculations automatically. It consists of a clock to
provide voltage pulses to synchronize the operations of
the devices within the computer, a central processing
unit, where the arithmetical and logical operations are
performed on data, a random-access memory, where the
programs and data are stored for rapid access, devices to
input data and output results, and various other
peripheral devices of widely varied function, as well as
circuitry to support the main operations.
Note: This modern sense of computer comprises the
stored-program computers, in which multiple steps in a
calculation may be stored within the computer itself as
instructions in a program, and are then executed by
the computer without further intervention of the
operator. Different types of computer are variously
called analog computer, {number cruncher,
number-cruncher}, digital computer, and {pari-mutuel
machine, totalizer, totaliser, totalizator,
totalisator}.
Syn: data processor, electronic computer, information
processing system.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
3. (Computers) same as digital computer.
[PJC] |