tablet

noun

tab·​let ˈta-blət 

1

a

: a flat slab or plaque suited for or bearing an inscription

b

: a thin slab or one of a set of portable sheets used for writing

c

: pad entry 1 sense 2

2

a

: a small mass of medicated material

an aspirin tablet

b

: a compressed or molded block of a solid material

3

a

or tablet computer : a mobile computing device that has a flat, rectangular form like that of a magazine or pad of paper, that is usually controlled by means of a touch screen, and that is typically used for accessing the Internet, watching videos, playing games, reading electronic books, etc.

b

: graphics tablet

Synonyms

• notepad
• pad

Examples of tablet in a Sentence

you'll need to use your writing tablet to record all the information that the real estate agent is likely to reel off

take two tablets of the medication every eight hours

Recent Examples on the Web

When standing in the presence of a treasure, perhaps a neolithic fertility figure or Egyptian tablet, an icon pops up in the top-left-hand corner of the screen encouraging you to take a picture. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024

One of the earliest tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments is scheduled to go up for auction at Sotheby's on Wednesday. —Sarah Ventre, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024

Well-Kept, another Southern brand, created their wipes to clean and remove germs on computers, tablets, and phones. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2024

Remember Daraprim, a generic medicine whose price rose overnight from $13.50 per tablet to $750 because of an unscrupulous Wall Street investor. —Arthur E Palamara, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tablett, from Anglo-French tablet, diminutive of table table

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tablet

• digitizing tablet
• graphics tablet

Kids Definition

tablet

noun

tab·​let ˈtab-lət 

1

a

: a flat slab suited for an inscription

b

: pad entry 2 sense 4

2

a

: a compressed or molded block of a solid material

b

: a small usually round mass of material containing medicine

aspirin tablet

3

a

: graphics tablet

b

or tablet computer : a mobile computing device that has a flat rectangular form, is usually controlled by means of a touch screen, and is typically used for accessing the Internet, watching videos, and reading e-books

Medical Definition

tablet

noun

tab·​let ˈtab-lət 

: a small mass of medicated material (as in the shape of a disk)

an aspirin tablet