English
calculus
Calculus comes from Latin calculus ‘a pebble or stone used as reckoning counters…’, from calx ‘limestone’, and perhaps ultimately from Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ ‘pebble’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχᾰ́λῐξ1‘pebble’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalx2‘limestone’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalculus2‘a pebble or stone used as reckoning counters in abacus’diminutive of calx
- Englishearliest quotation 2008calculus2
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Latin calx
- 2 Wiktionary, English calculus
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2008, Cameron calls for bankers’ ‘day of reckoning’: “The Tory leader refused to state how many financiers…”.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχᾰ́λῐξWiktionary, Latin calx‘pebble’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalxWiktionary, English calculus‘limestone’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalculusWiktionary, English calculus‘a pebble or stone used as reckoning counters in abacus’diminutive of calx
- Englishearliest quotation 2008calculusWiktionary, English calculus. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2008, Cameron calls for bankers’ ‘day of reckoning’: “The Tory leader refused to state how many financiers…”
Linked words
through Latin calx ‘limestone’
chalk, calcium, quilt, counterpoint, causeway, recalcitrant, calcite, calcareous, caulk, calzone, inculcate, 33 more
Today it means
noun Calculation; computation.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “calculus”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin calx. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ / calculus