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

Nonprofit experts and executives have criticized the organization and its board for failing to detect the theft, citing problems, including a bloated board, failure to change auditors, and ex-CFO William Smith's sole control of the organization's checking account. —Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Earlier this year, the Miami City Commission invited state DOGE auditors to scrutinize the city’s finances. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025

Before joining Luttrell, Van Huss worked as an auditor for a regional public accounting firm for seven years. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025

In response to the auditors’ report earlier this month, City Administrator Michael Jordan said his office would work with the city council to develop a long-range financial plan by the end of fiscal year 2027-28. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 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