tabular

Imagine a neatly organized spreadsheet: that is tabular. The word usually describes information shown like a table, with items arranged in rows and columns. You might see tabular data in reports, databases, or schedules. A scientist may present results in tabular form so they are easier to read, and an accountant works with tabular records every day.

The word can also describe something broad and flat on top, though that use is less common. In both cases, the idea is the same: a clear, ordered shape or layout.

The word tabular most often describes something shown in a table format, with information arranged in rows and columns. It is commonly used for data, lists, and other material that is easier to read when it is set out in a clear grid. Financial reports, research results, schedules, and database records are often tabular because this format makes comparison quick and simple.

The idea is not limited to numbers. A list of names and addresses can be tabular. A classroom chart, a price list, or a calendar can also be tabular if the information is laid out in an ordered row-and-column pattern. In this common sense, the word points to structure, clarity, and ease of reading.

There is also a less common meaning. In science, geography, and geology, tabular can describe something that is broad and fairly flat on top, like a table. A tabular iceberg, for example, has a wide, level surface. A tabular rock formation or plateau may have the same flat-topped shape.

The word comes from the Latin tabula, meaning board, tablet, or table. That history helps explain both main senses of the word: something arranged like a table, or something shaped like one.