calculus
Americannoun
-
calculi,
plural
-
calculuses
plural
-
Mathematics. a method of calculation, especially one of several highly systematic methods of treating problems by a special system of algebraic notations, as differential or integral calculus.
-
Pathology. a stone, or concretion, formed in the gallbladder, kidneys, or other parts of the body.
-
Also called tartar. Dentistry. a hard, yellowish to brownish-black deposit on teeth formed largely through the mineralization of dead bacteria in dental plaques by the calcium salts in salivary secretions and subgingival transudates.
-
calculation; estimation or computation.
the calculus of political appeal.
noun
-
a branch of mathematics, developed independently by Newton and Leibniz. Both differential calculus and integral calculus are concerned with the effect on a function of an infinitesimal change in the independent variable as it tends to zero
-
any mathematical system of calculation involving the use of symbols
-
logic an uninterpreted formal system Compare formal language
-
pathol a stonelike concretion of minerals and salts found in ducts or hollow organs of the body
-
calculi
plural
-
The branch of mathematics that deals with limits and the differentiation and integration of functions of one or more variables.
-
See more at calculus of variations differential calculus integral calculus
-
A solid mass, usually composed of inorganic material, formed in a cavity or tissue of the body. Calculi are most commonly found in the gallbladder, kidney, or urinary bladder.
-
Also called stone
Discover More
Most modern sciences use calculus.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of calculus
1610–20; < Latin: pebble, small stone (used in reckoning), equivalent to calc- (stem of calx stone) + -ulus -ule
Explanation
Calculus is a way of using math to study changes in a system. Moral calculus, on the other hand, is a way of measuring morals and ethics, like choosing the lesser of two evils. After an apple bonked him on the head, Newton used calculus to fine-tune his Law of Gravity. Don’t break that law, or you’ll fall right off the planet. Today, if you take a calculus class, you’ve probably already taken geometry and trigonometry. Well done. You’ll measure changes between infinitesimally small points or the area of a curve. In the medical world, a calculus is a hard, crusty mass like a kidney stone; or tartar on a tooth. In Latin, calculus means "small pebble used for counting."
Vocabulary lists containing calculus
myPerspectives 7.2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
AB Calculus
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Calculus, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Using USVs and UUVs are really important because they definitely complicate Chinese military operations and the calculus for it."
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
While the prediction proved prescient, Musk’s investment has changed the calculus.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
They unpack David Ellison’s calculus, the potential ripple effects, and more.
From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2026
Although he once thought owning a home would be a way for him to achieve independence and build wealth, Yaghoobians has changed his calculus.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Newton’s and Leibniz’s calculus depends upon dividing by zero—and on numbers that miraculously disappear when you square them.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz both “died in excruciating pain while suffering from calculi — a bladder stone for Newton, a kidney stone for Leibniz”.
From Nature ● Apr. 4, 2019
Midway through Infinite Powers, Steven Strogatz writes that Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz both “died in excruciating pain while suffering from calculi — a bladder stone for Newton, a kidney stone for Leibniz”.
From Nature ● Apr. 1, 2019
It has been also observed, in various countries, that particular waters produced various morbid affections; and to this cause have been attributed goitres, cretinism, calculi, and other distressing diseases.
From Curiosities of Medical Experience by J. G. (John Gideon) Millingen
How much the mechanical element may mean in kidney and biliary conditions is well illustrated by the relief often afforded by changes of position when calculi in these organs are giving trouble.
From Psychotherapy by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh
I consider the tartar on the teeth, calculi renales and arthritic nodosities very similar morbid products.
From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Edward Pollock Anshutz
“Do I think I underestimated some factors and overestimated some others? Sure. Do I think that there were calculations and calculuses that I made? Yes,” Porter went on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2024
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
