1. Plural of precomputer; devices, machines, or systems that performed computational or calculating functions before the advent of modern electronic computers.
Usage: Historical term; typically refers to mechanical or electromechanical calculating devices from the 19th and early 20th centuries.; Often used in academic or historical contexts discussing the evolution of computing technology.

Examples

• Precomputers such as the abacus and slide rule were essential tools for mathematicians and engineers.
• The history of precomputers shows how humans developed increasingly sophisticated methods for performing calculations.
• Before electronic computers became widespread, precomputers like the Babbage Difference Engine represented the cutting edge of technology.
• Museums often display precomputers to illustrate the technological progress leading to modern computing.
• Scientists relied on precomputers and manual calculations for centuries before the digital revolution.