Babbage

American  

[bab-ij] / ˈbæb ɪdʒ /

noun

1. Charles, 1792–1871, English mathematician: invented the precursor of the modern computer.

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Babbage British  

/ ˈbæbɪdʒ /

noun

1. Charles 1792–1871, English mathematician and inventor, who built a calculating machine that anticipated the modern electronic computer

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Babbage Scientific  

/ băb′ĭj /

1. British mathematician who is considered a pioneer of computer science. In 1837 Babbage described an idea for the analytical engine, a machine that could be programmed with punched cards to perform complex calculations. Although Babbage never finished building the analytical engine, his idea is recognized as the forerunner of the modern computer.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Babbage

Subsequently striking up a friendship with Charles Babbage, an inventor and mechanical engineer, Lovelace would become fascinated with his plans to build a complicated calculating machine.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

The author documents Tennyson’s reaction to books by the geologist Charles Lyell, the computer pioneer Charles Babbage and the astronomer John Herschel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

In 1979 Hawking was appointed to the Lucasian professorship at Cambridge, a position previously occupied by Isaac Newton, Charles Babbage and Paul Dirac.

From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2021

Stenner conceived the project with Frances Babbage, professor of theatre at Sheffield University, as well as Terry O’Connor, an honorary professor at Sheffield University and one part of the experimental theatre ensemble Forced Entertainment.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 25, 2019

Knowing Babbage was a middle schooler just like them made her all the more irritated that he or she had poached Tom Sawyer.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

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