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

Etymology

Origin of calculator

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calculator calculators

Take care of the big expenses as soon as possible and then don’t bother bringing out the calculator for smaller bills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 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

Now there’s even a new online “jock tax” calculator they can consult.

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

The first Saturday it was warm enough, he walked in circles around the base of the tree with a calculator and a cheat sheet of geometry equations.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

But the New York Regents exams still expect students to have physical calculators, which has limited the ability for schools to go fully digital.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

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

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

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

The women mathematicians dominated their mechanical calculators the same way the test pilots dominated their mechanical planes.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly