comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər 

ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō-,

käm(p)-ˈtrō- 

1

: a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures

2

: a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes certifies expenditures

3

: controller sense 1c

comptrollership

kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship 

ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō-

käm(p)-ˈtrō-

noun

Did you know?

If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French contrerolleur) under the influence of the Middle French word compte ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well.

Examples of comptroller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The comptroller’s race is competitive because incumbent Brad Lander is foregoing a reelection run to challenge Adams in June’s mayoral primary instead. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2025

Allocating additional funds for the state comptroller’s office to review the city’s finances. —James Barron, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025

House Bill 1448 – authored by Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville – addresses a state comptroller’s mistake with supplemental payments that were added into state law during the 2019 session. —Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025

Connecticut’s pension contributions as a share of employee payroll ranked first nationally in 2022, and the state also dedicated big chunks of surplus in 2023 and 2024 — $1.3 billion two years ago and more than $930 million last year, according to the comptroller’s office. —Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, alteration of countreroller controller

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for comptroller

• bipolar
• controller
• dipolar
• gaoler
• nonpolar
• premolar
• ambipolar
• areolar
• bronchiolar
• circumpolar
• equimolar
• monopolar

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Kids Definition

comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  käm(p)- 

ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō-lər

: a public official who examines financial accounts

Legal Definition

comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər, ˈkämp-ˌtrō- 

: the head accounting officer of a company or government