abacist
n. countablen. someone who is an expert at using an abacus to do math. You use this word for people who can calculate very quickly using beads on a frame.
n. a person who performs calculations using an abacus. Historically contrasted with an algorist, who uses written Arabic numerals for computation.
The skilled abacist finished the long addition in seconds.
Before electronic calculators became common, a professional abacist was often faster at basic arithmetic than someone using pen and paper.
In the medieval period, the transition from the physical counters of the abacist to the written methods of the algorist marked a significant shift in European mathematical history.
From Middle English abaciste, from Medieval Latin abacista, from abacus + -ista (“-ist”).
A rare and historical term; primarily used in academic or historical contexts regarding the history of mathematics.