The Word "Computer" Was Used to Refer to a Person in the 1600s Nowadays, the word computer refers to the super handy piece of tech that can be used for everything from drafting work documents to spending hours watching adorable cat videos online. But in 1613, it was a term used to refer to a person. Then, in 1869, it switched to a machine before becoming the word for an electronic device in 1946. #DidYouKnow