LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

calculus

calculus m (genitive calculī)
Classical[ˈkaɫ.kʊ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈkal.ku.lus]

Meaning

  1. diminutivemasculinediminutive of calx
  2. masculinepebble, stone
  3. masculinereckoning, calculating, calculation
  4. masculinea piece in the latrunculi game

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Saxum · Rupes · Cautes · Petra · Scopuli · Lapis · Calculus · Scrupulus

1. Saxum, rupes, and cautes, are greater; lapis, calx, and scrupus, smaller masses of stone. Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 22. Silex viridis ubi invenitur, lapis, non saxum est. 2. Saxa (from ψεκάς, ψήχω) are greater masses of stone, in whatever form, like πέτραι; rupes and petræ (πέτραι, from πεσεῖν) are steep and high, like rocks, and therefore difficult to climb; cautes and scopuli are rough and pointed, like crags, and therefore threaten danger; the cautes are smaller, and also not visible in the water, and therefore deceitful; the scopuli (from κόψαι) jutting upwards, threaten and announce danger, like σκόπελοι. 3. Lapis (ἄλιψ) is the most general expression, and denotes the stone only as a material substance, without regard to its form, like λίθος; calculus, is a smooth, generally round pebble; scrupulus, a rough, generally angular pebble; but for this meaning of scrupulus, the dimin. of scrupus, we have only the authority of grammarians; in authors it has only the figurative meaning of scruple. (v. 191.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecalculuscalculī
genitivecalculīcalculōrum
dativecalculōcalculīs
accusativecalculumcalculōs
ablativecalculōcalculīs
vocativecalculecalculī

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

ad calculos vocare aliquid (Amic. 16. 58)
to go through accounts, make a valuation of a thing.

calcŭlus, i, m. dim. 2. calx; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 46.
I. In gen., a small stone, a pebble: conjectis in os calculis, Cic. de Or. 1, 61, 261: Demosthenes calculos linguā volvens dicere domi solebat, Quint. 11, 3, 54; Vitr. 7, 2: argilla et dumosis calculus arvis, gravel in the thorny fields, Serv. ad Verg. G. 2, 180; Plin. 4, 8, 15, § 37; 28, 9, 33, § 124.—
B. Trop., of discourse: qui tenui venulā per calculos fluunt, Quint. 12, 10, 25.—
II. Esp.
A. A stone in the bladder or kidneys, the gravel, stone, Cels. 7, 26: curare, Plin. 20, 21, 86, § 234: comminuere et eicere, id. 20, 4, 13, § 23; cf. eicere, Suet. Aug. 80: movere, Plin. 20, 22, 91, § 248: exturbare, id. 20, 10, 42, § 109: frangere, id. 22, 21, 29, § 59: rumpere, id. 23, 8, 80, § 153. —
B. A draughtsman, a stone or counter used in playing draughts. called duodecim scripta, in which, as in chess, by driving a piece from one square to another, the person beaten could not finally move at all (ad incitas redactus est): in lusu duodecim scriptorum cum prior calculum promovisset, etc., Quint. 11, 2, 38; cf. Ov. A. A. 2, 207; 3, 357; id. Tr. 2, 478; Plin. Ep. 7, 24, 5; Mart. 14, 20; Isid. Orig. 18, 67: calculorum ludus, Cael. Aur. Tard. 1, 5, 165.—
2. Trop.: calculum reducere, to take back a move: tibi concedo, quod in XII. scriptis solemus, ut calculum reducas, si te alicujus dati paenitet, Cic. ap. Non. p. 170, 28 (Hortens. Fragm. 51 B. and K.): quā re nunc saltem ad illos calculos revertamur, quos tum abjecimus, i. e. those principles of action, id. Att. 8, 12, 5.—
C. A stone used in reckoning on the counting-board; hence meton., a reckoning, computing, calculating: calculi et rationes, Quint. 11, 3, 59; 7, 4, 35; 8, 3, 14; 12, 11, 18 Spald.: calculos subducere, to compute, reckon, cast up, Cic. Fin. 2, 19, 60: ponere, Col. 3, 3, 7: ponere cum aliquo, Plin. Pan. 20, 5: de posteris cogitanti in condicionibus deligendus ponendus est calculus, id. ib. 1, 14, 9: amicitiam ad calculos vocare, to subject to an accurate reckoning, hold to a strict account, Cic. Lael. 16, 58: si ad calculos eum respublica vocet, settles accounts, reckons, Liv. 5, 4, 7: revocare aliquid ad calculos, Val. Max. 4, 7, 1: ratio calculorum, Col. 1, 3, 8.—
2. Trop.: cum aliquā re parem calculum ponere, i.e. to render equal for equal, Plin. Ep. 5, 2, 1: quos ego movi calculos, considerations which I have suggested, id. ib. 2, 19, 9.—
D. In the most ancient per., a stone used in voting; a vote, sentence, decision, suffrage; a white one for assent or acquittal, a black for denial or condemnation; cf. Ov. M. 15, 41 sq.; App. M. 10, p. 242.— Hence judicialis, Imp. Just. Cod. 3, 1, 12: deteriorem reportare, i. e. an adverse decision, Impp. Diocl. et Max. Cod. 7, 62, 10: calculis omnibus, by a unanimous vote, App. M. 7, p. 191, 21.—Trop.: si modo tu fortasse errori nostro album calculum adjeceris, i. e. approve, Plin. Ep. 1, 2, 5.—
E. The Thracians were accustomed to preserve the recollection of fortunate occurrences by white stones, and of unfortunate by black, Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 131.—Hence,
2. Trop.: o diem laetum, notandumque mihi candidissimo calculo! i. e. a most happy day! Plin. Ep. 6, 11, 3; cf. Mart. 12, 34, 9, § 53; Pers. 2, 1 sq.—
F. In late Lat., a small weight: calculus constat ex granis ciceris duobus, Auct. Ponder ap. Goes. Agr. p. 322 (in Isid. Orig. 16, 25, 8, called calcus).

Origins

  1. Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ(khắlĭx)bor.?
  2. Latincalculus

Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin calculus From calx (“limestone, game counter”) + -ulus (diminutive suffix).

Descendants
  • Catalancàlcul
  • Englishcalculus
  • Frenchcalcul
  • GermanKalkülfrom French calcul
  • Romaniancalculfrom French calcul
  • Italiancalcolo
  • Portuguesecálculo
  • Sardiniancalculu
  • Sardiniancàrculu
  • Spanishcálculo

Quick answers

What does calculus mean in Latin?
calculus, a noun, means “diminutive of calx; pebble, stone; reckoning, calculating, calculation”.
What is the genitive of calculus?
The genitive singular is calculī. calculus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce calculus?
In classical Latin, [ˈkaɫ.kʊ.ɫʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkal.ku.lus].
Where does calculus come from?
Ancient Greek χᾰ́λῐξ (khắlĭx)bor.? → Latin calculus.