Algorist

/ˈælɡəˌrɪst/ noun

Definition

A person who practices or specializes in algorism; someone skilled in mathematical computation or calculation.

Etymology

From 'algorism' plus the agent suffix '-ist', meaning 'one who practices.' This term was more commonly used in the medieval and Renaissance periods when computation was a specialized skill.

Kelly Says

In medieval Europe, algorists were basically the computer scientists of their day—they were learned professionals who knew the precious skill of calculating with Arabic numerals instead of Roman numerals, which made them incredibly valuable and somewhat mysterious to the general public.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.