First published 1976; not yet revised More entries for "input"

inputnoun

Meaning & use
Etymology
Pronunciation
Frequency
Compounds & derived words

Nearby entries

Quotations

Show all quotations

Factsheet

What does the noun input mean?

There are nine meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun input. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

input has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the noun input?

About 70occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750	0.05
1760	0.02
1770	0.018
1780	0.01
1790	0.014
1800	0.013
1810	0.024
1820	0.015
1830	0.024
1840	0.013
1850	0.012
1860	0.014
1870	0.012
1880	0.017
1890	0.039
1900	0.5
1910	1.1
1920	1.8
1930	4.4
1940	12
1950	24
1960	42
1970	64
1980	80
1990	73
2000	62
2010	62

See frequency

How is the noun input pronounced?

British English

/ˈɪnpʊt/

IN-puut

U.S. English

/ˈɪnˌpʊt/

IN-puut

See pronunciation

Where does the noun input come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun input is in the mid 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for input is from 1753, in Scots Magazine.

It is also recorded as a verb from the Middle English period (1150—1500).

input is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: in adv., put n.1

See etymology

Nearby entries

inpoured, adj.1651–
inpouring, n.1721–
inpouring, adj.1853–
in principio, n. & adv.c1405–
in-process, adj.1925–
inpronunciable, adj.1554
in propria persona, adv.1654–
in puris naturalibus, adv.1581–
inpurtured, adj.a1529
in-pushing, n.1884–
input, n.1753–
input, v.c1384–
input–output, n.1914–
inputter, n.a1578–
inputting, n.1498–
in-quadric, n.
inquaintance, n.a1834–
inquart, n.1683
inquartate, v.1868–
inquartated, adj.1868–
inquartation, n.1881–

Browse more nearby entries

Meaning & use

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription

View our subscription options

Personal account

Access or purchase personal subscriptions
Get our newsletter
Save searches
Set display preferences

Institutional access

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Etymology

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription

View our subscription options

Personal account

Access or purchase personal subscriptions
Get our newsletter
Save searches
Set display preferences

Institutional access

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Pronunciation

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription

View our subscription options

Personal account

Access or purchase personal subscriptions
Get our newsletter
Save searches
Set display preferences

Institutional access

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Frequency

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription

View our subscription options

Personal account

Access or purchase personal subscriptions
Get our newsletter
Save searches
Set display preferences

Institutional access

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Compounds & derived words

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription

View our subscription options

Personal account

Access or purchase personal subscriptions
Get our newsletter
Save searches
Set display preferences

Institutional access

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Entry history for input, n.

input, n. was first published in 1976; not yet revised

input, n. was last modified in July 2023

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into input, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of input, n. were published in:

A Supplement to the OED, Volume II (1976)

Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

Find out more
View input, n. in Second Edition

Cite

Chicago

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “”, . <>

Copied to clipboard

MLA9

“”. Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, , <>

Copied to clipboard

Select format to download citation

Contribute

Please submit your feedback for input, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your
feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.