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

Toppin pointed to the report released in August by the state auditor that estimated California could save up to $225 million in office space costs annually. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025

Commissioner Doug Case asked auditors to look at how the Internal Affairs unit evaluates complaints alleging discrimination. —Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025

Legislative auditor investigation in 2018 A subsequent report by the nonpartisan Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor couldn’t substantiate claims that money went to terrorist groups overseas. —Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 25 Nov. 2025

Prior to the heist, the Louvre was urged by a French court of auditors to speed up the modernization of its security systems. —Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 25 Nov. 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