tabulator

American  

[tab-yuh-ley-ter] / ˈtæb yəˌleɪ tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that tabulates.

2. tab.

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tabulator British  

/ ˈtæbjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. a device for setting the automatic stops that locate the column margins on a typewriter

2. computing a machine that reads data from one medium, such as punched cards, producing lists, tabulations, or totals, usually on a continuous sheet of paper

3. any machine that tabulates data

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Etymology

Origin of tabulator

First recorded in 1880–85; tabulate + -or ²

Example Sentences

According to a state attorney’s analysis for Haakon County, it would take two election workers using a tabulator three to four hours to count all the ballots.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024

She said that she is gathering information on voters who had to wait in long lines and those who may have experienced ballot tabulator malfunctions.

From Salon • Nov. 18, 2022

A brief, tense exchange flared when Woodall-Vogg opened a panel on one tabulator, bumping the power cord and inadvertently unplugging it.

From Washington Post • Nov. 9, 2022

The worker is seen telling voters that if their ballot is rejected, they can have the ballot read manually or in a tabulator later.

From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2022

At the time, a publication called the Electrical Engineer remarked that the tabulator bested even divine speeds.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel