tablet
/ˈtæb.lɪt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
A small flat object that you swallow whole, usually as medicine. Tablets are a common form of pills.
- Take one tablet after meals.
- These tablets relieve headache quickly.
- The doctor gave me two tablets daily.
- 2.
A flat, thin computer with a touch screen. You use it by tapping the screen with your fingers.
- I read news on my tablet.
- Her tablet is great for drawing.
- The school gave each student a tablet.
Adinary Nuance
A tablet is usually a small flat medicine or a touch-screen computer. It is more specific than pill when the medicine is pressed into a flat shape. For the device, tablet is clearer than computer because it means a portable touch-screen device.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- viên nén
- Spanish
- tableta
- Chinese
- 平板
- Japanese
- タブレット
- Korean
- 태블릿
Etymology
Tablet comes from Latin tabella, meaning a small board or slip. English began using it in the Middle Ages, first for a flat piece, then for medicine and later electronics.
Common phrases
tablet computermedicine tablettake a tablettablet screen
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is tablet used for medicine and devices?
- Yes. It can mean a medicine form or a touch-screen device.
- What is the difference between tablet and pill?
- A tablet is a pressed medicine shape. A pill is a more general word.
- Is tablet a formal word?
- It is neutral and common in both speaking and writing.
- Can I say tablet computer?
- Yes. It is clear, but people often just say tablet.