calculator

American  

[kal-kyuh-ley-ter] / ˈkæl kyəˌleɪ tər /

noun

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

• minicalculator noun

Etymology

Origin of calculator

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

Example Sentences

The BBC has created a calculator to see how your pay could be affected.

From BBC

The company used the MIT living wage calculator to determine cost of living by region for single adults and families of four.

From Los Angeles Times

A calculator performs arithmetic flawlessly, yet no one imagines it feels anything while doing so.

From The Wall Street Journal

The students, most of them juniors and seniors, put their total cost of the college, minus any scholarships or tuition discounts, into a student-loan payment calculator and set it to a 6% interest rate.

From The Wall Street Journal

People should be screened for their risk of cardiovascular disease starting at age 30, using an AHA online calculator called Prevent that measures risk based on a person’s cholesterol, blood pressure, and other indicators.

From The Wall Street Journal