controller

play

noun con·trol·ler \ kən-ˈtrō-lər , ˈkän-ˌtrō- \

Definition of controller

1 a :comptroller 1

b :comptroller 2

c :the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (such as a college)

2 a :one that controls or has power or authority to control

air traffic controller

b :control 3b

—

controllership

play \kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship, ˈkän-ˌtrō-\ noun

See controller defined for English-language learners

See controller defined for kids

Examples of controller in a Sentence

the controllers for the video game system seem fairly well designed

Recent Examples of controller from the Web

The 22,300-mile-high constellation links ground controllers with the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope and other low-orbiting craft.

— marcia dunn, The Seattle Times, "NASA launches last of its longtime tracking satellites," 18 Aug. 2017
NASA, main contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne and subcontractor Honeywell are involved in developing the controller.

— katherine sayre, NOLA.com, "New Orleans area 2017 home prices: How did your ZIP code fare?," 10 Aug. 2017
Illinois law requires wildlife controllers to euthanize skunks but under the law, the public is prohibited from doing so.

— ronnie wachter, Naperville Sun, "Skunk population increase raising a stink around town," 1 Aug. 2017
Marker, a CPA, was most recently corporate controller for AAR Corp.

— miamiherald, "Senior-level hires and promotions for the week of July 31, 2017," 31 July 2017
None of the patients had a genetic signature associated with elite controllers.

— jon cohen, Science | AAAS, "What can science learn from a child who has controlled HIV without drugs for more than 8 years?," 26 July 2017
Witnesses told police the driver deliberately swerved into the traffic controller at First Avenue and Harbor Drive.

— david hernandez, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Police: Pickup driver deliberately hits traffic controller near Convention Center," 19 July 2017
Shortly thereafter, a Navy F-18 pilot dials in to put them in their place, asking the controller to broadcast his speed over the air, a cool 620 knots across the ground.

— andrew moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Here's an SR-71 Story That'll Make You Laugh," 18 July 2017
An air traffic controller assured him the runway was clear.

— david koenig, The Seattle Times, "Lighting should have made pilots aware of potential disaster," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'controller.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of controller

Middle English countreroller, from Anglo-French contreroulur, from contreroule

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

controller Synonyms

Synonyms

control, regulator

Related Words

actuator; button, dial, key, knob, lever, push button, selector, switch

CONTROLLER Defined for English Language Learners

controller

play

noun

Definition of controller for English Language Learners

: a person who is in charge of the money received and paid out by a business or college
: a person who directs the action of something
: a device or piece of equipment used to operate a machine, vehicle, or system