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

Mecklenburg County landfill sites included on auditor’s list The state audit cites Southside Park in Charlotte as an example of the potential risks of former landfill sites. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026

Wahab previously criticized the county over its handling of foster youth abuse investigations after a September 2025 state auditor report identified several failures by the Department of Children and Family Services. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

However, in August 2025, the Missouri state auditor’s office announced the results of an investigation into the district, stemming from a whistleblower complaint into the use of district credit cards. — Ilana Arougheti july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026

An independent budget analyst and program auditor would provide supervisors — and the public — with objective information outside the normal county chain of command. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

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