calculator

American  

[kal-kyuh-ley-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

Etymology

Origin of calculator

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calculator calculators

They used a risk calculator called Boadicea that combines factors such as family history, lifestyle, reproductive history and genetic information to give a risk score.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Almost every financial calculator you will use will also want this information, too.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

The online calculator based on the model will be available through the Oxford University Innovation software store as the STRATIFY-StatinMD Risk Calculator -- Academic use.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 30, 2026

Patent No. 3,819,921 for their hand-held aluminum calculator.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Then I hand him the oversized plastic calculator Claire keeps on the desk.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Electronic calculators, for instance, may have helped users solve equations -- but left the method and reasoning process in human hands.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

You can use any number of future-value calculators to experiment with different assumptions.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 3, 2026

The advocates were generally happy with what they heard, while also pulling out calculators to assess whether Newsom owes still more to education.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

In the days of floor trading, those working in the pits needed to be human calculators, instantly assessing how prices fluctuated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

Later, I would learn that the women of West Computing could type ten digits at a time into their calculators from memory.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson