auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯ-də-tər 

1

: a person authorized to examine and verify accounts

2

: one who hears or listens

especially : one who is a member of an audience

3

: a person who audits a course of study

4

: a person who hears something (such as a court case) in the capacity of judge

Did you know?

The auditing of a company's financial records by independent examiners on a regular basis is necessary to prevent "cooking the books", and thus to keep the company honest. We don't normally think of auditors as listening, since looking at and adding up numbers is their basic line of work, but auditors do have to listen to people's explanations, and perhaps that's the historical link. Hearing is more obviously part of another meaning of audit, the kind that college students do when they sit in on a class without taking exams or receiving an official grade.

Examples of auditor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From 2012 to 2022, the chamber received $6 million in public funds, which auditors said largely came from Visit Anaheim hiring the chamber for work without the city’s permission, using the city’s tourism district funds. —Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2025

Panama’s top auditor accused CK Hutchison Holdings of owing the government hundreds of millions, and breaching an agreement to share 10 percent of net income with the Panamanian government as part of its 25-year contract extension signed in 1997. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 8 Apr. 2025

Last year the state comptroller ordered a forced audit of Dolton finances, ultimately assigning an outside firm to conduct audits after Dolton was unable to find an auditor willing to take on the job. —Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025

The auditors addressed allegations of a cover-up specific to Canton police – but members of several different law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation or as witnesses who were with O'Keefe that evening. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English auditour "hearer, listener, official who examines and verifies accounts," borrowed from Anglo-French auditur, auditour, borrowed from Medieval Latin audītor "hearer, hearer of pleas (in court or Parliament), official who examines accounts," going back to Latin, "hearer, listener, disciple," from audīre "to hear" + -tor, agent suffix — more at audible entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯd-ət-ər 

1

: a person who listens to or hears something or someone

especially : a member of an audience

2

: a person who audits accounts

Legal Definition

auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯ-də-tər 

1

: a person qualified and authorized to examine and verify financial records

2

: a referee appointed by a court in a civil action

especially : one designated to prepare an account for the court see also master