Babbage

American

[bab-ij] / ˈbæb ɪdʒ /

noun

Charles, 1792–1871, English mathematician: invented the precursor of the modern computer.

Babbage British

/ ˈbæbɪdʒ /

noun

Charles 1792–1871, English mathematician and inventor, who built a calculating machine that anticipated the modern electronic computer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Babbage Scientific

/ băb′ĭj /

British mathematician who is considered a pioneer of computer science. In 1837 Babbage described an idea for the analytical engine, a machine that could be programmed with punched cards to perform complex calculations. Although Babbage never finished building the analytical engine, his idea is recognized as the forerunner of the modern computer.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The author documents Tennyson’s reaction to books by the geologist Charles Lyell, the computer pioneer Charles Babbage and the astronomer John Herschel.

From The Wall Street Journal

GameStop originated in the 1980s as Babbage’s, a computer shop in Dallas that later shifted its focus to video games.

From Los Angeles Times

It included George Stephenson, Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing and Sir Demis Hassabis, with dozens of UK start-up companies from every corner of the country listed.

From BBC

Ransomware is the most significant cyber-crime threat we face, says Mr Babbage.

From BBC

Mr Babbage says he would also discourage victims from paying ransoms.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023