accountant

1 of 2

noun

ac·​coun·​tant ə-ˈkau̇n-tᵊnt How to pronounce accountant (audio)
1
: one that gives an account or is accountable
2
: one who is skilled in the practice of accounting or who is in charge of public or private accounts
accountantship noun

accountant

2 of 2

adjective

obsolete
: accountable, answerable
I stand accountant for as great a sinWilliam Shakespeare

Examples of accountant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Some questioned the move at the time, given that Calhoun himself was trained as an accountant and has no engineering background. Allison Morrow, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The company is pitching the Vision Pro as an enterprise device for professionals from artists to accountants who can use the help of a few extra virtual reality screens. Thomas Germain / Gizmodo, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a steady 4% growth for accountants and CPAs from 2022 to 2032, signaling a consistent demand in the coming decade. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 If tradition holds, at some moment during this year’s Oscar telecast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will dutifully thank its team of ballot-tabulating accountants at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 One owner acts as an accountant, quasi-treasurer, just paying bills and preparing quarterly statements. Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 To put it another way: How much like an Arthur Andersen accountant does Joseph Fischer have to be? Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2024 While accountants must communicate with managers, clients and co-workers, the majority of the day is spent working independently. Goldie Chan, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Hollywood leading men and neighborhood baristas, wedding planners and basketball players, morning-show hosts and accountants, youth pastors and construction workers, your nephew and your aunt. Jonah Weiner, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accountant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English accomptaunt, accountant "official in charge of accounts," borrowed from Anglo-French acomptant, noun derivative of accountaunt, present participle of acunter, acompter "to account entry 2"

Adjective

Middle English accomptaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French accountaunt, from present participle of acunter, acompter "to account entry 2"

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of accountant was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near accountant

Cite this Entry

“Accountant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

accountant

noun
ac·​coun·​tant
ə-ˈkau̇nt-ᵊnt
: a person professionally trained in accounting

More from Merriam-Webster on accountant

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