Input is that which is, well, put in—whether literally, as in "the input from the guitar to the speaker," or more conceptually, as in "the group leader wanted everybody's input."

The verb input, in the computer sense, didn't exist much before the late 1940's when it became common among computer professionals, who input data into their machines. Why they weren't satisfied just to "put in" the data, we may never know. Before that, the noun input was an economic term meaning anything that went into production: the grain was just one input among several required for the production of cereal. But often, these days, input means a contribution of some kind, usually a thought. You'll thank me for my input later.

Definitions of input
  1. noun
    signal going into an electronic system
    synonyms: input signal
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    type of:
    sign, signal, signaling
    any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
  2. noun
    a component of production; something that goes into the production of output
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    type of:
    component, constituent, element
  3. noun
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    type of:
  4. verb
    enter (data or a program) into a computer
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    type of:
    enter, infix, insert, introduce
    put or introduce into something
  5. noun
    a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
    synonyms: comment, remark
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    remark made spontaneously without prior preparation
    a courteous or respectful or considerate remark
    gambit, ploy
    an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker
    obiter dictum, passing comment
    an incidental remark
    mention, reference
    a remark that calls attention to something or someone
    observation, reflection, reflexion
    a remark expressing careful consideration
    a teasing remark
    crack, quip, sally, wisecrack
    witty remark
    conversation stopper, stopper
    a remark to which there is no polite conversational reply
    banality, bromide, cliche, commonplace, platitude
    a trite or obvious remark
    a striking or amusing or caustic remark
    passing reference or indirect mention
    reference to things past
    cheap shot
    an unnecessarily aggressive and unfair remark directed at a defenseless person
    type of:
  6. noun
    any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
    synonyms: stimulant, stimulation, stimulus
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    elicitation, evocation, induction
    the sudden stimulation provided by strong drink (or certain drugs)
    something causing excitement or stimulating interest
    negative stimulation, turnoff
    something causing antagonism or loss of interest
    conditioned stimulus
    the stimulus that is the occasion for a conditioned response
    reinforcement, reinforcer, reinforcing stimulus
    cue, discriminative stimulus
    a stimulus that provides information about what to do
    positive stimulus
    a stimulus with desirable consequences
    negative stimulus
    a stimulus with undesirable consequences
    positive reinforcer, positive reinforcing stimulus
    negative reinforcer, negative reinforcing stimulus
    a reinforcing stimulus whose removal serves to decrease the likelihood of the response that produced it
    bonus, fillip
    anything that tends to arouse
    delight, joy, pleasure
    something or someone that provides a source of happiness
    annoyance, bother, botheration, infliction, pain, pain in the ass, pain in the neck
    something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
    aversive stimulus
    any negative stimulus to which an organism will learn to make a response that avoids it
    concern, headache, vexation, worry
    something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
    grief, sorrow
    something that causes great unhappiness
    type of:
    knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
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