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

"The kids are not learning their math facts because they're becoming calculator hooked," he proclaimed.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 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

Murali Annavaram, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, likened AI to a calculator.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

He had some inner calculator that always knew exactly how long his dad had been gone.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

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

Still, Texas Instruments has been able to command premium prices for its calculators, largely because many high-schoolers have no choice but to buy them.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Some say customers aren’t exactly paying for innovation, but rather for decades of familiarity on the educator side — along with textbooks that build the calculators into their curricula.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Several breast cancer risk calculators like Boadicea already exist and none are perfect.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 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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