workstation

IPA/ˈwɜːksteɪʃn/
KK[wˈɚkstˌeʃən]IPA/ˈwɜːrksteɪʃn/

workstation — noun

  • workstationsingular
  • workstationsplural

1. a place arranged for one person to do office, factory, or computer-based work, u

1.nounB2
Definition

a place arranged for one person to do office, factory, or computer-based work, usually with a desk, screen, and input devices.

Example

Apinya logged into the hospital workstation before printing the patient labels.

log into a workstation

In the factory office, each workstation has a stool and barcode scanner.

each workstation has + equipment

Common collocations
  • shared workstation
  • office workstation
  • workstation setup
  • workstation near the window
Synonyms
  • desk

    focuses on the piece of furniture rather than the whole setup

  • cubicle

    stresses the partitioned office space around the work area

  • terminal

    usually means the screen-and-keyboard access point, not the whole station

Grammar Patterns

at a workstation

move to a workstation

each workstation has + equipment

Usage Note

Often names the place or setup a person works at, not only the machine. In offices, hospitals, and factories, it can include the desk, chair, screen, and tools in that one spot.

Common Mistakes

I carried my workstation home in my backpack.
I carried my laptop home in my backpack.
this sense usually refers to a fixed work setup, not a small portable computer.
The office gave me a work station by the printer.
The office gave me a workstation by the printer.
the usual spelling is one closed compound.

2. a high-performance computer built for demanding professional tasks such as engin

2.nounC1
Definition

a high-performance computer built for demanding professional tasks such as engineering design, scientific analysis, or advanced graphics work.

Example

Ada's new workstation renders the building model in seconds instead of minutes.

workstation + renders complex files

The lab bought three workstations for engineers who process satellite images daily.

buy workstations for technical work

Common collocations
  • graphics workstation
  • engineering workstation
  • high-end workstation
  • dual-monitor workstation
Synonyms
  • desktop

    broader word for a desk-based computer, often less powerful

  • PC

    everyday general term that does not imply specialist performance

  • computer

    the most general word and much less specific technically

Grammar Patterns

use a workstation for + task

upgrade a workstation

workstation + renders / processes

Usage Note

Usually refers to a fixed, more powerful computer used for specialist work. Distinguish from sense 1 (WORK AREA): sense 1 can mean the place where someone works, while sense 2 names the machine itself.

Common Mistakes

I only need a workstation to type one short letter.
I only need a computer to type one short letter.
workstation usually suggests a more specialized or more powerful machine than a simple task needs.
The office replaced the workstation with a faster chair.
The office replaced the workstation with a faster desktop computer.
this sense names the computer, not the furniture around it.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Workstation' usually suggests a place arranged for one person's job, often with a computer and other tools already set up. 'Desk' is simpler and mainly names the piece of furniture. 'Cubicle' stresses the small partitioned office space around that desk, not the equipment on it. 'Terminal' often means a screen-and-keyboard point used to reach a larger system, so it can be only one part of a workstation. 'Office' is much broader and may mean the whole room or workplace. Because of that, 'move to another workstation' sounds natural when someone changes the exact place where they work, while 'move to another desk' focuses more on the furniture. In a factory or call center, a workstation may include scanners, headsets, or control panels as well.

workstation ↗desk ↗cubicle ↗terminal ↗office ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchLatinEnglish

Workstation is a modern English compound built from work and station. Work goes back to Old English words for labor and activity. Station entered English through French from Latin and originally referred to a standing place or assigned position. Together, the compound first named the place where one person performs a task, and later in computing it also came to mean a more powerful professional computer used at that place.

First known use

1910

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1