controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər How to pronounce controller (audio) ˈkän-ˌtrō- How to pronounce controller (audio)
1
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
controllership
kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship How to pronounce controller (audio)
ˈkän-ˌtrō-
noun

Examples of controller in a Sentence

the controllers for the video game system seem fairly well designed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Birds play vital roles in ecosystems and for people, serving as pollinators, seed dispersers, pest controllers, scavengers and ecosystem engineers, the IUCN said. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025 Those ports can be used to play additional titles and, with the right adapter, to connect original Intellivision controllers. Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 The controller from the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center then tried to reach the pilots seven times with no response. Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025 Meta recently announced its own take on waveguide glasses, the $799 Ray-Ban Display, which goes a step further than the Rokid Glasses with a full-color display instead of monochrome green and a new Neural Band wearable controller. PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for controller

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of controller was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Controller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controller. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

controller

noun
1
: the chief accounting officer of a business or institution
2
: a person who controls
an air traffic controller
3

Legal Definition

controller

noun
con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər, ˈkän-ˌtrō- How to pronounce controller (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on controller

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