In the early 19th century, the word "computer" began to be used to refer to a mechanical machine designed to carry out calculations. The first mechanical computer was the Analytical Engine, designed by the English mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage in the 1830s.
By the middle of the 20th century, electronic computers had become the most common type of computer. The first electronic computer was the Z1, developed by the German engineer Konrad Zuse in the 1930s.
Today, the word "computer" is used to describe a wide variety of electronic devices that can store, process, and retrieve data. Computers are used in a vast range of applications, from personal computing to industrial automation.