Etymology

Latin abacus, abax, Greek 'a`bax

noun

Plural: abacuses. The Latin plural abaci is correct in English but is considered pedantic.

1. (Obsolete): A table or tray strewn with sand, anciently used for drawing, calculating , etc.
2. A calculating table or frame; an instrument for performing arithmetical calculations by balls sliding on wires, or counters in grooves, the lowest line representing units, the second line, tens, etc. It is still employed in China.

   Translations:

   German: der Abakus (ci); das Rechenbrett

   Irish: fráma comhairimh m4

3. (Archaic): The uppermost member or division of the capital of a column, immediately under the architrave . See Column.

   Translations:

   German: die Kapitelldeckplatte

   Irish: abacas m1

4. (Archaic): A tablet , panel, or compartment in ornamented or mosaic work.
5. A board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments , for holding cups, bottles, or the like; a kind of cupboard, buffet, or sideboard .

"I've heard merchants still use an abacus for adding things up in China. Is that true?"

Derived expressions

• Abacus harmonicus (Music): An ancient diagram showing the structure and disposition of the keys of an instrument. - Crabb

Related words

• abacist

Translations

• Chinese: 算盘
• Dutch: telraam n, abacus m
• Ekspreso: abako
• Esperanto: abako
• Finnish: helmitaulu (2)
• French: abaque m, boulier m (2)
• Indonesian: abakus
• Interlingua: abaco
• Italian: abbaco
• Portuguese: ábaco
• Romanica: abaco m
• Slovak: počítadlo n (2)
• Spanish: ábaco
• Swedish: kulram c
• Turkish: Sayı Çubuğu , Abaküs
• Volapük: bakud