calculus

noun

cal·cu·lus ˈkal-kyə-ləs

plural calculi ˈkal-kyə-ˌlī

-ˌlē

also calculuses

Synonyms of calculus next

: a method of computation or calculation in a special notation (as of logic or symbolic logic)

: the mathematical methods comprising differential and integral calculus

—often used with the

: calculation

… even political conservatives agree that an economic calculus must give way to a strategic consciousness when national or global security is at stake.—

Stephen H. Schneider

: a concretion usually of mineral salts around organic material found especially in hollow organs or ducts

: tartar entry 1 sense 1

: a system or arrangement of intricate or interrelated parts

Did you know?

In Latin calculus meant “pebble.” Because the Romans used pebbles to do addition and subtraction on a counting board, the word became associated with computation. Other English derivatives include calculator and calculation. Calculus itself has been borrowed into English as a medical term that refers to masses of matter in the body such as kidney stones (a straightforward extension of the meaning “pebble”) and to refer to a system of mathematical computation.

Examples of calculus in a Sentence

by my calculus the more efficient air conditioner will have paid for itself within a span of five years

Recent Examples on the Web The students’ daily two-hour daily calculus class got only tougher after that. —

Jon Marcus, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2023 But whether these companies are sustainable in the long run is a more complicated calculus. —

Santul Nerkar, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023 The insurance commissioner has the power to propose a revision to these regulations at any time, which could change the calculus for some of the large insurers that have pulled back from the California market. —

Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023 Increasingly, calculus is seen as a necessary bolster for competitive college applications. —

Daniel Mollenkamp, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 But once a person enters public life, the calculus changes. —

Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 25 Aug. 2023 The moral calculus lent righteousness to the brownstoners’ preservationist stance. —

Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023 For example, you might be told that math starts with counting, then goes to algebra, then calculus and so on. —

Audrey G. Bennett, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 2023 But Klein’s calculus changed when the pandemic hit. —

Laura Wagner, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calculus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.