noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈæbəkəs/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
South-Asia:/əˈbakəs/
CMU ARPABET:AE1 B AH0 K AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A table or tray scattered with sand which was used for calculating or drawing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I’ve heard merchants still use an abacus for adding things up in China.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments for holding bottles, cups, or the like; a kind of buffet, cupboard, or sideboard.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Ancient-Rome, historical
Qualifier: Ancient Greece
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a calculator that performs arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: calculator, calculating machine
6
noun
Meaning 6
a tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in supporting the architrave
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tablet
History
Etymology
From Late Middle English abacus, abagus, agabus (“abacus; art of counting with an abacus”), from Latin abacus, abax (“sideboard or table with a slab at the top; slab at the top of a column; counting board, sand table; board for playing games”) (compare Late Latin abacus (“art of arithmetic”)), from Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax, “slab, counting board; board covered with sand for drawing; plate; dice-board”). Doublet of abaque and abac. The plural form abaci is reinforced from Latin abacī.
Across languages
Translations
185 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Oromo:
abakaas
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Catalan:
àbac
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Estonian:
abakus
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Finnish:
abakus
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Greek:
άβακας
(ávakas)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Ancient Greek:
ἄβαξ
(ábax)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Italian:
abaco
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Macedonian:
абак
(abak)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Persian:
تخت حساب
(taxt-e hesâb)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Persian:
تخت و میل
(taxt o mil)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Polish:
abakus
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Polish:
abak
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Polish:
liczydło
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Portuguese:
ábaco
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Russian:
аба́к
(abák)
— (obsolete) table or tray scattered with sand for calculating or drawing
Afrikaans:
abakus
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Afrikaans:
telraam
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Albanian:
abakus
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Arabic:
مِعَد
(miʕad)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Arabic:
مِعْدَاد
(miʕdād)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Armenian:
համրիչ
(hamričʻ)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Azerbaijani:
çötkə
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Azerbaijani:
abak
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Azerbaijani:
sayğac
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Basque:
abako
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Belarusian:
аба́к
(abák)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Belarusian:
аба́ка
(abáka)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Belarusian:
лічы́льнікі
(ličýlʹniki)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
Bengali:
অ্যাবাকাস
(êbakaś)
— device for performing arithmetical calculations
