auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯ-də-tər 

1

: a person authorized to examine and verify accounts

2

: one who hears or listens

especially : one who is a member of an audience

3

: a person who audits a course of study

4

: a person who hears something (such as a court case) in the capacity of judge

Did you know?

The auditing of a company's financial records by independent examiners on a regular basis is necessary to prevent "cooking the books", and thus to keep the company honest. We don't normally think of auditors as listening, since looking at and adding up numbers is their basic line of work, but auditors do have to listen to people's explanations, and perhaps that's the historical link. Hearing is more obviously part of another meaning of audit, the kind that college students do when they sit in on a class without taking exams or receiving an official grade.

Examples of auditor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The initial revelations led to audits by the state Comptroller Sean Scanlon, which was requested by Lamont, and the bipartisan auditors of public accounts. —Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2025

The bill initially would have directed the state auditor to conduct performance audits on the state’s air pollution and labor standards divisions. —Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2025

With formulations that read like poetry and sourcing practices that would impress any sustainability auditor, this is a brand built on quiet brilliance, not buzzwords. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Pratt played the aloof but lovable Andy Dwyer, who held a series of odd jobs in the Parks and Rec department, while Lowe played auditor Chris Traeger. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English auditour "hearer, listener, official who examines and verifies accounts," borrowed from Anglo-French auditur, auditour, borrowed from Medieval Latin audītor "hearer, hearer of pleas (in court or Parliament), official who examines accounts," going back to Latin, "hearer, listener, disciple," from audīre "to hear" + -tor, agent suffix — more at audible entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯd-ət-ər 

1

: a person who listens to or hears something or someone

especially : a member of an audience

2

: a person who audits accounts

Legal Definition

auditor

noun

au·​di·​tor ˈȯ-də-tər 

1

: a person qualified and authorized to examine and verify financial records

2

: a referee appointed by a court in a civil action

especially : one designated to prepare an account for the court see also master