comptroller
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
Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2025
The city pays for police protection for various public officials, including the mayor, the comptroller, the public advocate, the City Council speaker, diplomats and heads of state via a special unit in the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
New Yorkers vying to be the city’s next mayor and comptroller and candidates for the City Council trumpeted plans aimed at lowering the cost of housing, child care and groceries.
—Eliza Shapiro, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
The average claim paid out is roughly between $50 and $100, with the comptroller's office typically returning more than $1.5 million daily, according to its website.
—Chloe Mayer, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for comptroller 
Dictionary Entries Near comptroller
Cite this Entry
“Comptroller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comptroller. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025.
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comptroller
noun
käm(p)-
Legal Definition
comptroller
noun
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