WordGarden.iocalender
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˈæləndə/
US
- /ˈkæləndər/
Meanings
Noun
a machine with rollers for smoothing or glazing paper, cloth, rubber, or similar material
a member of a Sufi order of wandering dervishes
Verb
to press material between rollers to smooth, glaze, or thin it
Beyond the definition
A calender is a machine used in manufacturing to press, smooth, or finish materials such as paper, textiles, rubber, or plastic by passing them through rollers. If you want fabric to become glossy or paper to feel smoother, you might send it through a calender.
Although it looks almost identical to calendar, the two words are completely unrelated. Calendar deals with dates and schedules; calender belongs to the world of industrial processing and material finishing. Because the spelling difference is small and the pronunciation is similar, many learners assume calender is just a misspelling — but in technical contexts, it is a precise and correct term.
The word calender comes from industrial and manufacturing vocabulary. At its core, it refers to a machine made of rotating rollers designed to apply pressure, heat, or both to a material. The goal is usually to improve surface quality — making something smoother, thinner, shinier, or more uniform.
In paper production, for example, sheets may pass through a calender to create a polished, glossy finish suitable for magazines or high-quality printing. In textile manufacturing, calendering can compress fibers and enhance texture or appearance. Plastic and rubber industries also use calenders to produce films or sheets with controlled thickness.
You may encounter calender both as a noun and as a verb:
- Noun: "The factory installed a new calender to improve paper quality."
- Verb (to calender): "The fabric was calendered to give it a smooth, shiny surface."
Because it belongs mainly to technical, engineering, or industrial contexts, calender is rarely used in everyday conversation. Most people will go years without seeing it unless they work in manufacturing, materials science, or industrial design.
A common learner mistake is confusing calender with calendar. Remember that calendar organizes time, while calender transforms materials through pressure and rolling. One lives in your planner; the other lives on the factory floor.
Examples
- 1
Paper making
The paper passes through a calender before it is cut into sheets.
- 2
Fabric finishing
The fabric was calendered to give it a smooth, glossy finish.
- 3
Printing material
The printer chose calendered paper for the magazine cover.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- calendernounverb