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/əˈbækəs/
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/əˈbækəs/
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/əˈbækəs/
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/əˈbækəs/
Plural
abacuses
An abacus is a simple but powerful ancient calculating tool made of beads sliding on rods, used for counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing — still taught today to build number sense and mental math skills, especially in parts of Asia and math education programs.
Children in Japan often learn basic arithmetic using an abacus before moving to written calculations.
The museum displayed a 17th-century Chinese abacus with ivory beads and rosewood frame.
Competitors in the mental abacus championship solved complex multiplication problems in under ten seconds.
Though digital calculators are common, some schools still teach abacus use to strengthen foundational math understanding.
Her grandfather taught her how to multiply two-digit numbers on the abacus during summer vacations.
abacus
Comes from Latin 'abacus', borrowed from Greek 'abax' (genitive 'abakos'), meaning 'a flat surface' or 'a counting board'. The Greek term likely derives from Semitic roots (e.g., Hebrew 'ābāq' meaning 'dust', referring to dust-covered boards used for calculation). It denotes a tool for arithmetic computation using beads on rods. Examples include abacus, abacuses, abaci, abacist.