calculus
Meaning
A method of calculation or reasoning in mathematics, especially one dealing with continuously changing quantities.
A hard mass of mineral material that forms in the body, such as in the kidney or on teeth.
Structure
Usage
Students often study differential calculus before integral calculus.
Dental calculus, also known as tartar, can contribute to gum disease.
Leibniz and Newton are credited with the development of infinitesimal calculus.
Etymology
The word 'calculus' originates from the Latin term for a small stone or pebble used in counting on an abacus. This literal meaning of a 'counting stone' evolved to signify any systematic method of calculation. In the 17th century, mathematicians Leibniz and Newton independently developed the system of mathematical analysis for rates of change, adopting this classical term for its association with computation. The medical sense of a stony concretion in the body directly preserves the original Latin meaning of a hard, stone-like mass.
Analysis
calc (Latin 'calx', meaning 'limestone, pebble'); ul (Latin diminutive suffix '-ulus', meaning 'small'); us (Latin noun suffix).