comptometer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Obsolete / HistoricalTechnical (historical), Business (historical)
Quick answer
What does “comptometer” mean?
A key-operated mechanical calculating machine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A key-operated mechanical calculating machine.
A historical mechanical adding machine of a specific brand, notable for its speed and efficiency in rapid numerical calculations, typically used in accounting and office work before the advent of electronic calculators.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage was identical in both regions, as it was an international brand of office equipment.
Connotations
Evokes a mid-20th century or earlier office environment, nostalgia for mechanical technology.
Frequency
The term is equally historical and obsolete in both varieties. It might appear more frequently in texts about the history of technology or business.
Grammar
How to Use “comptometer” in a Sentence
The accountant [VERB:used/operated] a comptometer.The [NOUN:office] had several comptometers for the clerks.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “comptometer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She could comptometer the day's receipts in under an hour. (rare/archaic)
American English
- He was hired specifically because he could comptometer. (rare/archaic)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Historical term for a key task in accounting and auditing departments.
Academic
Used in histories of technology, business, and computing.
Everyday
Virtually never used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
Specific reference in museum contexts, historical machinery restoration.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “comptometer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “comptometer”
- Misspelling as 'comprometer' or 'computometer'.
- Confusing it with a modern electronic calculator or cash register.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. An abacus is a manual counting frame with beads. A comptometer is a key-operated mechanical device.
It was widely used from the late 1880s until the 1970s, when electronic calculators replaced it.
The name is a blend of the French word 'compte' (account, count) and the Greek-derived suffix '-meter' (measurer).
They are no longer manufactured. They can be found as antiques, collectibles, or museum pieces.
A key-operated mechanical calculating machine.
Comptometer is usually technical (historical), business (historical) in register.
Comptometer: in British English it is pronounced /kɒmpˈtɒmɪtə/, and in American English it is pronounced /kɑmpˈtɑmɪtər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fast as a comptometer (historical, rare)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: COMPute + meter = a meter/measurer for computation.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE WORK IS MANUAL LABOUR (The comptometer is a tool for mental 'work').
Practice
Quiz
What was a comptometer primarily used for?