controller

1 of 2

noun (1)

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  ˈkän-ˌtrō- 

1

a

: comptroller sense 1

b

: comptroller sense 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 sense 3a

controllership

kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship 

ˈkän-ˌtrō-

noun

controllership

2 of 2

noun (2)

con·​trol·​ler·​ship kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship 

ˈkän-ˌtrō-

plural -s

1

: the office of controller

2

: the position and functions of a controller

Synonyms of controller

Noun (1)

• regulator
• control

Examples of controller in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the controllers for the video game system seem fairly well designed

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

When winter arrived, Caltrans dispatched him east to Caples Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains to work as a chain controller — part of an annual seasonal draw from valley yards to keep heavy mountain passes operational. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026

According to MacRumors, the two gaming controllers are codenamed T6502 and T1057. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026

At that moment, pilots in airborne fighter jets radioed controllers to ask for the location of the hijacked aircraft. — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

If pressure, temperature, flow or level moves away from its set point, the controller adjusts a valve, heater, pump or another manipulated variable. — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Phrases Containing controller

• air traffic controller
• forward air controller

Rhymes for controller

• bipolar
• comptroller
• dipolar
• gaoler
• nonpolar
• premolar
• ambipolar
• areolar
• bronchiolar
• circumpolar
• equimolar
• monopolar

Kids Definition

controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  ˈkän-ˌtrō-lər 

1

: the chief accounting officer of a business or institution

2

: a person who controls

an air traffic controller

3

: control entry 2 sense 3a

Legal Definition

controller

noun

con·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər, ˈkän-ˌtrō- 

: comptroller