A mathematician is a person who studies or works with mathematics, often discovering new patterns, proving theorems, or solving complex problems. They may work in research, teaching, technology, or many other fields.
From “mathematic” + “-ian”, a suffix meaning 'a person who is related to or skilled in'. “Mathematic” goes back to Greek “mathēmatikos” meaning 'fond of learning' or 'mathematical'. The modern sense focuses on expertise in abstract numerical and logical systems.
Many mathematicians don’t actually sit around doing arithmetic—they invent new kinds of systems and even new kinds of infinity. The job is closer to 'professional pattern hunter' or 'logic explorer' than 'human calculator'.
Although ‘mathematician’ is gender-neutral grammatically, the archetype of the mathematician has been overwhelmingly male in textbooks, media, and institutional histories. Women and other marginalized groups were often excluded from formal positions and credit, even when they did substantial mathematical work.
Use ‘mathematician’ for people of any gender and avoid defaulting to ‘he’ in examples; include diverse mathematicians when giving historical or contemporary cases.
Women mathematicians such as Emmy Noether, Sofia Kovalevskaya, and many others made foundational contributions despite systemic barriers and lack of recognition.
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