controller

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

Updated on: 19 May 2018

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

Whoever works the fry station at Miss Ollie’s needs to keep at least three cast irons churning through chicken without the aid of the digital temperature controllers that are typically built into most modern fryers.

— ali bouzari, San Francisco Chronicle, "Housemade: The science behind the skillets at Miss Ollie’s in Oakland," 16 May 2018
Her controller looked nearly identical to a PlayStation’s.

— caroline lester, The Atlantic, "What Happens When Your Bomb-Defusing Robot Becomes a Weapon," 26 Apr. 2018
On the surface, using a motion-sensing game controller to simulate cradling a baby is a bit absurd.

— andrew webster, The Verge, "God of War and Yakuza 6 show how games can tell great stories about parents," 20 Apr. 2018
Its target can also be changed mid-flight through communication with controllers.

— brad lendon, CNN, "Weapons the US, UK and France used to target Syria," 14 Apr. 2018
For decades, parents worried videogames would transform their children into zombies spending countless hours alone with a controller in hand.

— sarah e. needleman, WSJ, "Why Parents Are Fans of Games Like ‘Fortnite’," 13 Apr. 2018
Technology is so good now that players can grab an Xbox controller and become a virtual eLeBron James.

— david whitley, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Magic could be worth cheering in brave new eWorld," 10 Apr. 2018
Instead of fancy tables, chairs and chandeliers, there's a light fixture made of game controllers of days past.

— jenn harris, latimes.com, "Chef José Andrés is a gamer, and he's creating food for gamers at the new Esports Arena in Las Vegas," 29 Mar. 2018
Using a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller, the SoFi can swim in a straight line, turn, and dive up or down.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "MIT's Robot Fish Can Blend in and Spy on Real Sea Creatures," 21 Mar. 2018

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

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