What does "calculator" mean?

A mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations; sometimes, an electronic one specifically.

What is a synonym for "calculator"?

Common synonyms include: adding machine, computer, computer, reckoner, schemer, ;.

How do you pronounce "calculator"?

Pronounced //ˈkæl.kjə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)//.

Calculator

//ˈkæl.kjə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)// noun

noun ·Moderate ·High school level

Definitions

Noun

1
A mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations; sometimes, an electronic one specifically.
"electronic calculator; pocket calculator"
2
a small machine that is used for mathematical calculations; can be mechanical or electronic wordnet
3
A person who performs mathematical calculation. historical
"During the war, his grandmother had worked at the Bletchley Park decoding station as a calculator."
4
an expert at calculation (or at operating calculating machines) wordnet
5
A person who calculates (in the sense of scheming).
"Near-synonyms: schemer, plotter; manipulator"

Show 1 more definition

6
A set of mathematical tables. obsolete

Synonyms

All synonyms

adding machine computer computer reckoner schemer ;

Example

More examples

"A businessman is working out some figures with a calculator."

Etymology

In the sense of a person, from Middle English calkelatour (“mathematician, astrologer”), borrowed from Latin calculātor, equivalent to calculate + -or. The other meanings arose in Modern English.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.