comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō- 

käm(p)-ˈtrō-

1

: a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures

2

: a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes certifies expenditures

3

: controller sense 1c

comptrollership

kən-ˈtrō-lər-ˌship 

ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō-, 

käm(p)-ˈtrō-

noun

Did you know?

If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French contrerolleur) under the influence of the Middle French word compte ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well.

Examples of comptroller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mark Levine, the city's comptroller, said that this current cluster of cases is from a contaminated cooling tower, and not a water system. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 8 July 2026

There is overwhelming strong public support for letting all registered voters, regardless of party, to vote in the June primaries for City Council, borough president and the three citywide offices mayor, public advocate and comptroller. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 July 2026

The program is separate from The Hartford Flood Relief and Compensation Program, which delivered $12 million to 660 homeowners and businesses through the state comptroller office. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was swiftly defeated by Lander, a former city comptroller. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, alteration of countreroller controller

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for comptroller

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

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Kids Definition

comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər  käm(p)- 

ˈkäm(p)-ˌtrō-lər

: a public official who examines financial accounts

Legal Definition

comptroller

noun

comp·​trol·​ler kən-ˈtrō-lər, ˈkämp-ˌtrō- 

: the head accounting officer of a company or government