- a counting device that consists of a frame holding rods on which a specific number of beads are free to move. Each rod designates a given denomination, such as units, tens, hundreds, etc, in the decimal system, and each bead represents a digit or a specific number of digits
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ab•a•cus /ˈæbəkəs/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. ab•a•cus•es, ab•a•ci
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- /ˈæbəˌsaɪ, -ˌkaɪ/.USA pronunciation
- a device for calculating, made of a frame with rods on which balls or beads are moved.
ab•a•cus
(ab′ə kəs, ə bak′əs),USA pronunciation n., pl. ab•a•cus•es, ab•a•ci
-
(ab′ə sī′, -kī′, ə bak′ī).USA pronunciation
- a device for making arithmetic calculations, consisting of a frame set with rods on which balls or beads are moved.
- Architecture Archit. a slab forming the top of the capital of a column. See diag. under column.
- Greek ábax
- Latin: board, counting board, re-formed
- Middle English 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
abacus /ˈæbəkəs/ n ( pl -ci /-ˌsaɪ/, -cuses)
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'abacus' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
