calculator

American  

[kal-kyuh-lay-ter] / ˈkæl kjəˌleɪ tər /

noun

• calculators
  plural

1. a person who calculates or computes.

2. Also called calculating machine. a small electronic or mechanical device that performs calculations, requiring manual action for each individual operation.

3. a person who operates such a machine.

4. a set of tables that facilitates calculation.

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calculator British  

/ ˈkælkjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a device for performing mathematical calculations, esp an electronic device that can be held in the hand

2. a person or thing that calculates

3. a set of tables used as an aid to calculations

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calculator Cultural  

1. An electronic device for performing automatic mathematical computations, usually controlled by a keyboard. Some are actually small computers, with limited memory, that allow the user to use simple programs.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• minicalculator
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• calculators
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of calculator

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin; see calculate, -tor

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calculator calculators

All should have a calculator to help you construct a ladder with the timeline and budget that you would like.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

My calculator says those five items alone add up to 16.4% of GDP.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

Scanning the newspaper, inky fingers and fuzzled minds, scrambling for the calculator and jotting down the codes for Julian Dicks and Juninho.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson earns about $51 million, giving him a total liability of $24 million on that money, including $5 million in state and local taxes, the calculator says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

It looked like he was punching a calculator in his head.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

So before you proceed with your plan, try to work your numbers through various calculators and see what works best for you.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Kids shouldn’t be on their phones while doing their homework—though they might argue they need them for calculators and other look-ups.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

There are online calculators that help people calculate their Coast FI numbers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

In the 1980s, while Sharp, HP and Casio marketed their scientific calculators to professionals, Texas Instruments was focused on penetrating the education space.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

These include the earliest dated set of European navigation instruments found thus far: compasses, protractors, calipers, sounding leads, tide calculators, and a device for calculating speed called a log reel.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

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