Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun computing A mechanical special-purpose computer used to generate tables of values of
polynomials .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word difference engine.
Examples
Sorry, no example sentences found.
skipvia commented on the word difference engine
Charles Babbage, 1882. Composed of 25,000 parts, weighed 15 tons (13,600 kg) and stood 8 feet (2.4 m) high. It was never completed, and Babbage left to pursue another idea, a more complex Analytical Engine, which could be programmed using punch cards. See Calculating Devices.
January 27, 2008
whichbe commented on the word difference engine
Steampunk Unboxing: Difference Engine Arrives in Silicon Valley
June 30, 2008