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

The program is separate from The Hartford Flood Relief and Compensation Program, which delivered $12 million to 660 homeowners and businesses through the state comptroller office. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Tom DiNapoli won the Democratic primary for state comptroller Tuesday. — Mark Lewyn, New York Daily News, 25 June 2026

Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was swiftly defeated by Lander, a former city comptroller. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

Illapa Sairitupac, Democratic New York State assembly candidate, from left, Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, and Brad Lander, former New York City comptroller and US Democratic House candidate for New York, campaign during a primary election in New York, US, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 June 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