Babbage

American  

[bab-ij] / ˈbæb ɪdʒ /

noun

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

---

Babbage British  

/ ˈbæbɪdʒ /

noun

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

---

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.

---

Example Sentences

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

It included George Stephenson, Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing and Sir Demis Hassabis, with dozens of UK start-up companies from every corner of the country listed.

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2025

A major war in the Indo-Pacific is probably more likely now than at any other time since World War II, Ross Babbage says.

From New York Times • Mar. 6, 2023

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

Here at Booker, she knew there was at least one other Book Scavenger player: Babbage was prowling around somewhere.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman