calculate

verb

cal·​cu·​late ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt 

calculated; calculating

transitive verb

1

a

: to determine by mathematical processes

calculate the rate of acceleration

b

: to reckon by exercise of practical judgment : estimate

calculate the likelihood of success

c

: to solve or probe the meaning of : figure out

trying to calculate his expression

—Hugh MacLennan

2

: to design or adapt for a purpose

he carefully calculated the timing of his arrival for maximum impact

3

a

: to judge to be true or probable

b

: intend

I calculate to do it or perish in the attempt

—Mark Twain

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make a calculation

b

: to forecast consequences

2

: count, rely

Synonyms

• cipher
• compute
• figure
• reckon
• work out

Example Sentences

calculate the volume of a cylinder

I need to calculate how long it will take me to drive to Chicago.

We calculated the cost of new carpeting for the whole house.

We need to calculate our chances of success before we invest more money in the business.

Recent Examples on the Web

Import recipes from other websites, and the app will calculate the calories. —Good Housekeeping, 21 Mar. 2023

Each shape has a measurement of distance from the other shapes in the grid, and these measurements are used to calculate the likelihood that one of the shapes is malignant. —Meredith Broussard, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2023

Scientists can’t calculate the measurement from Earth, but Hera’s instruments will have that ability. —Rahul Rao, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2023

Michael Blowen, who runs Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farms near Lexington, once told me the best way to calculate a horse's age in human years is to multiply it by three and add eight. —The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2023

The authors were also able to calculate the heating rate and amount of heat needed to trigger thumping at Doublet Pool: about 3 to 7 megawatts of energy, the equivalent of the energy output of 100 household furnaces. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 10 Mar. 2023

Calegari, Dimitrov and Tang could calculate the size of the second space relatively easily, obtaining a sort of rough count of congruence modular forms. —Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023

One company financially compensates farmers for preventing deforestation, using satellite data processed with a machine learning algorithm to calculate carbon storage from agroforestry farms. —Nikki Shum-harden, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2023

The supernovae produce a fairly consistent luminosity, which allows astronomers to calculate astronomical distances. —Julia Musto, Fox News, 4 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Latin calculatus, past participle of calculare, from calculus pebble (used in reckoning), perhaps irregular diminutive of calc-, calx lime — more at chalk

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

calculate

verb

cal·​cu·​late ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt 

calculated; calculating

1

: to find by performing mathematical operations (as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) : compute

calculate the average

2

: estimate entry 1 sense 1

calculate the risk of losing

3

: to plan by careful thought

a program calculated to succeed

Etymology

from Latin calculatus "calculate," derived from calculus "pebble (used in counting)," from calc-, calx "stone used in gambling, lime" — related to calcium, chalk