la laptop
laptop
Definition & meaning
Laptop is a portable computer designed to be used on a person’s lap or carried easily. In Spanish, it commonly refers to a laptop computer, especially in many Latin American countries.
It is often used interchangeably with:
- computadora portátil — common in Latin America
- ordenador portátil — common in Spain
- portátil — shortened form, especially in Spain
The word can also refer more broadly to any portable personal computer, including devices described in English as notebooks.
Grammar & word origin
Laptop is a masculine noun in much of Spanish: el laptop. However, usage varies by region, and la laptop is also common, particularly in parts of Latin America.
It is a direct borrowing from English laptop, formed from lap and top, referring originally to a computer that could rest on top of one’s lap. The plural is usually laptops, although the Spanish term portátiles is also commonly used.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- computadora portátil — the standard Latin American equivalent; more fully Spanish than laptop.
- ordenador portátil — the standard equivalent in Spain, where ordenador means “computer.”
- portátil — a shorter form, especially in Spain; literally “portable.”
There is no exact antonym. The usual contrast is:
- ordenador de sobremesa — a desktop computer, designed to remain in one place rather than be carried around. It is a contrasting type of computer, not a strict linguistic antonym.
Common phrases & collocations
- un laptop nuevo — a new laptop
- comprar un laptop — to buy a laptop
- usar el laptop — to use the laptop
- llevar el laptop — to carry the laptop
- laptop inalámbrico — wireless laptop; less common, since laptops are generally understood to support wireless connections
- laptop gamer — gaming laptop, a common modern borrowing in informal Spanish
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Examples
Tengo una laptop nueva.noun
I have a new laptop.
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