tablet

noun

tab·​let ˈta-blət How to pronounce tablet (audio)
Synonyms of tabletnext
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 of tablet

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At Fleet Feet’s Columbus Circle store in New York, employees have noticed increased interest in moisture-wicking and cooling apparel, as well as high-electrolyte drink mixes, capsules and chewable tablets. — Nadia Neophytou, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Flowkey works across laptops, phones, and tablets and is available in 11 languages. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 23 Aug. 2026 After originally launching with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series on July 22nd alongside a host of new camera and AI agent skills, One UI 9 looks close to being released to millions of Galaxy phones, tablets and watches. — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Early in Mutiny, Statham’s latest outing, there’s a moment in which his character, Cole Reed, looks over photos of his late father on a tablet, then wishes the man a happy birthday. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tablet

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tablet was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing tablet

Browse Nearby Words

table sugar
tablet
table talk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tablet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tablet. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tablet

noun
tab·​let ˈtab-lət How to pronounce tablet (audio)
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 How to pronounce tablet (audio)
: a small mass of medicated material (as in the shape of a disk)
an aspirin tablet

More from Merriam-Webster on tablet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tablet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All