"act or process of making tabular arrangements," 1803, noun of action from tabulate (v.). Latin tabulatio meant "a flooring over."
Entries linking to tabulation
tabulate v.
"to put into form of a table, collect or arrange in columns," 1734, from Latin tabula (see table (n.)) + -ate (2). Earlier in the more literal Latin sense "lay a floor" (1650s). Related: Tabulated; tabulating.
tab n.2
"account, bill, check," 1888, American English colloquial, probably a shortened form of tabulation or of tablet in the sense "a sheet for writing on." Figurative phrase keep a tab on is recorded from 1890.