gunner; artillerist
Historical or technical term for a person skilled in artillery, especially in pre-modern or early modern contexts.
彼は江戸時代の有名な砲術家だった。
He was a famous gunner of the Edo period.
砲術家として、大砲の扱いに長けていた。
As an artillerist, he was skilled in handling cannons.
Compound of 砲術 (artillery techniques) + 家 (person, expert). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged in the Edo period with the development of gunnery schools.