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

Other Democrats who have announced their candidacies are former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former California state Senate Leader Toni Atkins, state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond and the state's former comptroller, Betty Yee. —Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025

The lieutenant governor is not like an attorney general or a comptroller, positions that have wholly separate functions that are to some extent supposed to act as a check on the executive. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025

The second move Hochul is proposing gives the city’s comptroller, public advocate, and the City Council speaker the power to advance litigation against the federal government. —Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025

The committee is made up of the comptroller, corporation counsel, council Speaker, a deputy mayor chosen by the mayor and the longest-serving borough president. —Jared Gans, The Hill, 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