abacus
English
/ˈæbəkəs/, /ˈæbəkaɪ/, /ˈæbəˌkaɪ/
noun
Definitions
- (historical) A table or tray scattered with sand which was used for calculating or drawing.
- A device used for performing arithmetical calculations; (rare) a table on which loose counters are placed, or (more commonly) an instrument with beads sliding on rods, or counters in grooves, with one row of beads or counters representing units, the next tens, etc.
- (architecture) The uppermost portion of the capital of a column immediately under the architrave, in some cases a flat oblong or square slab, in others more decorated.
- (Ancient Greece) A board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments for holding bottles, cups, or the like; a kind of buffet, cupboard, or sideboard.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English abacus derived from Latin abacus (abacus, board, panel, counting board) derived from Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (board, board covered with sand, a calculation board covered with sand, calculating, board slab, counting board, board for drawing, plate, dice-board, board covered with sand for drawing) derived from Latin abacī.
Origin
Latin
abacī
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- abaci English
- abaque English
- abax English
- abacinus Latin
- abacista Latin
- abaculus Latin
- abacus Latin
- abacī Latin
- Abakus German
- abakusz Hungarian
- abachista Italian
- abaco Italian
- abbaco Italian
- abacus Dutch, Flemish
- abaque French
- аба́к Russian
- аба́к, абак Russian
- абак Russian
- абака Russian
- ábaco Spanish, Castilian
- ἄβαξ Ancient Greek
- abakus Norwegian Bokmål
- ábaco Portuguese
- abakus Norwegian Nynorsk
- abacus Middle English
- abacas Irish
- àbac Catalan, Valencian
- ábaco Galician
- abac Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
- abacă Romanian, Moldavian, Moldovan
- άβακας Greek (modern)
- άμπακας Greek (modern)
- abakus Tagalog
- abakus Malay
- אָבָק Hebrew (modern)
- אבק Hebrew (modern)
- აბაკი Georgian
- -𐤀𐤁𐤀𐤒 Phoenician