'laptop' originates from English, combining 'lap' and 'top', where 'lap' refers to the area between the waist and knees when sitting, and 'top' refers to the upper surface.

'laptop' was coined in the 1980s as portable computers became more common, evolving from the term 'notebook computer'.

Initially, it referred to any portable computer, but now it specifically denotes a personal computer that can be used on one's lap.