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

Michael Caruso, a 67-year-old Republican whom DeSantis appointed as Palm Beach County’s clerk of courts and comptroller a year ago, was taken into custody by local police and officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026

Political history Caruso, 67, had been appointed by DeSantis in August to serve as Palm Beach County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller after Joseph Abruzzo resigned to take a new position as Palm Beach County administrator. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026

The complaint about cremains was later resolved, a comptroller spokesperson said. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

The average annual state employee pension in 2025 was $44,961, according to the state comptroller’s office’s OpenPension website. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026

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