(kən-trōˈlər)
noun- One that controls: a controller, not an observer of events.
- also comp·trol·ler (kən-trōˈlər, kŏmp-trōˈ-, kŏmpˈtrōˌ-) An officer who audits accounts and supervises the financial affairs of a corporation or of a governmental body.
- A regulating mechanism, as in a vehicle or electric device.
Related Forms:
Usage Note: In the 15th century, the word
controller developed the alternate spelling
comptroller as a result of an association between the first part of the word,
cont, and the etymologically unrelated word
count and its variant
compt. Although the historical pronunciation of
comptroller would be the same as for
controller, evidence suggests that the spelling pronunciations (kŏmp-trōˈlər) and (kŏmpˈtrōˌlər) may now be used by a majority of speakers. In a recent survey, 43 percent of the Usage Panel indicated that they pronounce
comptroller like
controller, while 57 percent pronounce it with
mp, as it is spelled, with stress on either the first or second syllable. And half of those Panelists who pronounce
comptroller like
controller indicated that they also consider the spelling pronunciations acceptable.
