What does Abacus mean?

Abacus meaning in General Dictionary

A table or tray strewn with sand anciently useful for attracting calculating etc

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  • a tablet placed horizontally above the administrative centre of a column as an aid in supporting the architrave
  • a calculator that executes arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves
  • A table or tray strewn with sand, anciently employed for drawing, calculating, etc.
  • A calculating dining table or framework; a guitar for carrying out arithmetical computations by balls sliding on cables, or counters in grooves, the best line representing devices, the 2nd range, tens, etc. It's still employed in China.
  • The uppermost member or unit for the money of a column, instantly beneath the architrave. See Column.
  • A tablet, panel, or compartment in ornamented or mosaic work.
  • A board, tray, or dining table, divided into perforated compartments, for holding glasses, containers, or perhaps the love; a kind of cupboard, buffet, or sideboard.

Abacus meaning in Etymology Dictionary

late 14c., "sand dining table for design, computing, etc.," from Latin abacus, from Greek abax (genitive abakos) "counting dining table," from Hebrew abaq "dust," from root a-b-q "to travel off." Initially a drawing board covered with dirt or sand that might be written on to do mathematical equations. Particular mention of the a counting framework is 17c. or later.


Abacus meaning in Computer Science Dictionary

instead called the counting framework, an abacus is a mechanical product regularly assist an individual in performing mathematical computations and counting.


Abacus meaning in General Dictionary

(letter.) A table or tray strewn with sand, anciently employed for drawing, calculating, etc.

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  • (n.) A calculating table or frame; an instrument for doing arithmetical calculations by balls sliding on wires, or counters in grooves, the best range representing devices, the second range, tens, etc. It's still employed in China.
  • (letter.) A tablet, panel, or storage space in ornamented or mosaic work.
  • (n.) A board, tray, or table, split into perforated compartments, for holding glasses, containers, and/or like; a kind of cabinet, buffet, or sideboard.

Sentence Examples with the word Abacus

In the preface to the appendix containing the local arithmetic he states that, while devoting all his leisure to the invention of these abbreviations of calculation, and to examining by what methods the toil of calculation might be removed, in addition to the logarithms, rabdologia and promptuary, he had hit upon a certain tabular arithmetic, whereby the more troublesome operations of common arithmetic are performed on an abacus or chess-board, and which may be regarded as an amusement A facsimile of this document is given by Mark Napier in his Memoirs of John Napier (1834), p. 248.

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