calculator

C3A1L1C3U1L1A1T1O1R1
/ˈkæl.kjə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)/US/kæl.kjə.leɪ.tɚ/US[ˈkʰæɫ.kjəˌleɪ̯.ɾɚ]

noun

A mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations; (now usually) an electronic one specifically.

“electronic calculator;   pocket calculator”

Similar
electronic calculatorcomputerreckonerschemerplottermanipulatorready reckonerfigurer
OriginMiddle English calkelatour ← Latin calculātor ← Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ (khắlĭx)bor.? →
CommonScrabble 14
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nouncalculator (plural calculators)

plural calculators

  1. A mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations; (now usually) an electronic one specifically.

    electronic calculator;   pocket calculator

    2 more examples

    The calculator on a bookkeeper's desk in the 1950s was an adding machine with mechanical guts.

    I told him to hand me a calculator and he jokingly placed an adding machine at my side.

    Synonyms: electronic calculator

  2. historicalA person who performs mathematical calculation.

    During the war, his grandmother had worked at the Bletchley Park decoding station as a calculator.

    1 more example

    First, many real-world investors bear little resemblance to the cool calculators of efficient-market theory: they're all too subject to herd behavior, to bouts of irrational exuberance and unwarranted panic.

    2020, Paul Krugman, Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future, page 145

    Synonyms: computer, reckoner

  3. A person who calculates (in the sense of scheming).

    Near-synonyms: schemer, plotter; manipulator

    3 more examples

    He revealed himself to be a cold-blooded calculator out to sabotage his colleagues.

    Talk not thus, I implore you, Evelyn: do not imagine me the worldly calculator that my enemies deem me.

    1838, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter X, in Alice or The Mysteries […], volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, book I, page 92

    You have in the merchant the shrewd calculator of probable contingencies; we shall see that we have in the prophet the absolute proclaimer of necessary and inevitable facts.

    1858, John Cumming, Thy Word is Truth: an apology for Christianity, page 112

    Synonyms: schemer, plotter, manipulator

  4. obsoleteA set of mathematical tables.

    Synonyms: ready reckoner

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations; (now usually) an electronic one specifically.

Similar
electronic calculator

nounA person who performs mathematical calculation.

Similar
computerreckoner

nounA person who calculates (in the sense of scheming).

Similar
schemerplottermanipulator

nounA set of mathematical tables.

Similar
ready reckoner

More synonyms by meaning

nounan expert at calculation (or at operating calculating machines)

Similar
reckonerfigurerestimatorcomputer
Broader
expert

nouna small machine that is used for mathematical calculations; can be mechanical or electronic

Similar
calculating machine
Broader
machine
Also see
boxcomputerelectronic brainelectronic calculatorelectronic computerestimatorfigurerreckonerthinking machine

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekχᾰ́λῐξ (khắlĭx)bor.?
  2. Latincalx
  3. Latincalculus
  4. Latincalculō
  5. Latincalculātor
  6. Middle Englishcalkelatour
  7. Englishcalculator

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

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans sakrekenaar
  • sakrekenaarelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Arabic حَاسِبَة, آلَة حَاسِبَة
  • حَاسِبَة (ḥāsiba)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • آلَة حَاسِبَة (ʔāla ḥāsiba)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • مِحْسَاب (miḥsāb)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Basque kalkulagailu
  • kalkulagailuelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Bengali ক্যালকুলেটর
  • ক্যালকুলেটর (kêlkuleṭor)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Bulgarian калкула́тор, смета́чна маши́на
  • калкула́тор (kalkulátor)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • смета́чна маши́на (smetáčna mašína)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • изчисли́тел (izčislítel)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • интригант (intrigant)person who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • шмекер (šmeker)person who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
Catalan calculadora, calculadora
  • calculadoraelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculadoramechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
Chinese Cantonese 計數機 /计数机
  • 計數機 /计数机electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Chinese Mandarin 計算器 /计算器, 電子計算器 /电子计算器
  • 計算器 /计算器 (jìsuànqì)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 電子計算器 /电子计算器 (diànzǐ jìsuànqì)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 電子計算機 /电子计算机 (diànzǐ jìsuànjī)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算器 /计算器 (jìsuànqì)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算機 /计算机 (jìsuànjī)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算者 /计算者 (jìsuànzhě)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算者 /计算者 (jìsuànzhě)person who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • 計算表 /计算表 (jìsuànbiǎo)set of mathematical tables
Czech kalkulačka, kalkulátor
  • kalkulačkaelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulátorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • počítačkaelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Danish lommeregner, regnemaskine
  • lommeregnerelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • regnemaskineelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Dutch rekenmachine, zakrekenmachine
  • rekenmachineelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • zakrekenmachineelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • rekentoestelelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • rekenmachinemechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculatormechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • berekenaardated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • plannerperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
Esperanto kalkulilo
  • kalkuliloelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Estonian kalkulaator, taskuarvuti
  • kalkulaatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • taskuarvutielectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Finnish laskin, laskin
  • laskinelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • laskinmechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • laskukonemechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • laskijadated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • laskelmoijaperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • laskuriset of mathematical tables
French calculatrice, calculette
  • calculatriceelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculetteelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • tablesset of mathematical tables
German Rechner, Taschenrechner
  • Rechnerelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • Taschenrechnerelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • Rechnerperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
Greek αριθμομηχανή, κομπιουτεράκι
  • αριθμομηχανή (arithmomichaní)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • κομπιουτεράκι (kompiouteráki)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • αριθμομηχανή (arithmomichaní)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
Hawaiian mīkini helu
  • mīkini heluelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Hebrew מַחְשְׁבוֹן, מונה
  • מַחְשְׁבוֹן (makhshevón)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • מונה (mone)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • חשבונאי (kheshbona'y)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • חשבונאית (kheshbona'yt)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • טבלת חישובים (t'avlat khishuvym)set of mathematical tables
Hindi परिकलक, कैलकुलेटर
  • परिकलक (pariklak)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • कैलकुलेटर (kailkuleṭar)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • परिकलित्र (pariklitra)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • परिकलक (pariklak)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
Hungarian számológép, számológép
  • számológépelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • számológépmechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
Icelandic reiknivél
  • reiknivélelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Indonesian kalkulator, mesin hitung
  • kalkulatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • mesin hitungelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulatormechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • penghitungdated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
Irish áireamhán
  • áireamhánelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Italian calcolatrice, calcolatrice
  • calcolatriceelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calcolatricemechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calcolatoredated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • calcolatricedated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • tabelleset of mathematical tables
Japanese 電卓, 計算機
  • 電卓 (dentaku)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算機 (keisanki)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算者 (keisansha)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • 計算表 (keisannhyō)set of mathematical tables
Korean 계산기
  • 계산기 (gyesan'gi)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Latin māchinula calculātōria
  • māchinula calculātōriaelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Latvian kalkulators
  • kalkulatorselectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Lithuanian kalkuliatorius, skaičiuotuvas
  • kalkuliatoriuselectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • skaičiuotuvaselectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Malay mesin kira, kalkulator
  • mesin kiraelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Norwegian Bokmål kalkulator
  • kalkulatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Norwegian Nynorsk kalkulator
  • kalkulatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Polish kalkulator, kalkulator
  • kalkulatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulatormechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulatordated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkulatorkadated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • spiskowiecperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • intrygantperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • intrygantkaperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • kalkulatorset of mathematical tables
Portuguese calculadora, calculadora
  • calculadoraelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculadoramechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculadordated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • calculistadated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • calculistaperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
Romanian calculator, computer
  • calculatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • computerelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculatormechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • mașină de calculatmechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculatordated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • calculatoaredated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • tabeleset of mathematical tables
Russian калькуля́тор, вычисли́тельная маши́на
  • калькуля́тор (kalʹkuljátor)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • вычисли́тельная маши́на (vyčislítelʹnaja mašína)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • счётная маши́на (sčótnaja mašína)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • арифмо́метр (arifmómetr)mechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • счётчик (sčótčik)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • расчётчик (rasčótčik)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • табли́цы расчётов (tablícy rasčótov)set of mathematical tables
  • табли́ца (tablíca)set of mathematical tables
Scottish Gaelic àireamhair
  • àireamhairelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Slovak kalkulačka
  • kalkulačkaelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Spanish calculador, calculadora
  • calculadorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • calculadoraelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Swahili kikokotozi
  • kikokotozielectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Swedish räknare, miniräknare
  • räknareelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • miniräknareelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkylatorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Tagalog pantaya, kalkulador
  • pantayaelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • kalkuladorelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Tamil கணிப்பான்
  • கணிப்பான் (kaṇippāṉ)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Thai เครื่องคิดเลข
  • เครื่องคิดเลข (krʉ̂ʉang-kít-lêek)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Turkish hesap makinesi
  • hesap makinesielectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Ukrainian калькуля́тор, лічба́р
  • калькуля́тор (kalʹkuljátor)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • лічба́р (ličbár)dated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
Urdu کَیلْکُولیٹَر, حِسابْگَر
  • کَیلْکُولیٹَر (kailkūleṭar)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • حِسابْگَر (hisābgar)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Vietnamese máy tính cầm tay, máy tính cơ khí
  • máy tính cầm tayelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
  • máy tính cơ khímechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • máy tính tương tựmechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • dụng cụ tính toánmechanical device that performs mathematical calculations
  • người tínhdated: a person who performs mathematical calculations
  • người láu cáperson who calculates (in the sense of scheming)
  • máy tính dạng bảngset of mathematical tables
Welsh cyfrifiannell
  • cyfrifiannellelectronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Yiddish קאַלקולאַטאָר
  • קאַלקולאַטאָר (kalkulator)electronic device that performs mathematical calculations
Cite this entry
APA

calculator. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calculator

MLA

“calculator.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calculator. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “calculator,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calculator.

Source: calculator on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.