UmCikizi

Igama elithi " umCikizi ", elalisetshenziswa kusukela ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-17 (ukubhalwa kwalo kokuqala kusukela ngo-1613),  lalisho "umuntu ocikizayo": umuntu oqaqulula izibalo, ngaphambi kokuba  iziCikizi zamazuba zitholakale ezitolo. U- Alan Turing wachazisa "isiCikizi esingumuntu" njengomuntu "okufanele alandele imithetho engaguquki; akanalo igunya lokuchezuka kuyo nganoma iyiphi imininingwane." [2] Amathimba abantu, ngokuvamile abesifazane kusukela ekupheleni kwekhulu leshumi nesishiyagalolunye kuya phambili, ayesetshenziselwa ukwenza izibalo ezinde futhi ezivame ukukhathaza; umsebenzi wahlukaniswa ukuze lokhu kwenziwe ngokuhambisana. Izibalo ezifanayo zazivame ukwenziwa ngokuzimela ngamaqembu ahlukene ukuze kuhlolwe ukunemba kwemiphumela.

Indabuko kwezenzululwazi
Ogqayinyanga benkathi yokuVuselelwa babesebenzisa igama elithi umcikizi (computer) ngokufanayo nalapho bethi umchazizibalo, ekubhekiseleni emisebenzini yao yokuqaqulula ukuma kwemizulane. Babevame ukuqasha 'umcikizi' ukuze abalekelele. Kubantu abenza lowo msebenzi, abafana noJohannes Kepler, ukulekelela usonzululwazi ekucikizeni kwakuyisikhundla sesikhashana kuze kube yilapho bekhuphukela phezulu. Ngaphambi kokufackwalhe, uJohn Napier, wasikisela izindlela zokuthi "abantu abafundileyo, okungenzeka banabafundi nabacikizi abaningi" basize ekwakhiweni kwecansi lenhluzanani (logarith table) eliphuculiwe.