accountant

American  

[uh-koun-tnt] / əˈkaʊn tnt /

noun

1. a person whose profession is inspecting and auditing personal or commercial accounts and providing financial advice to the account holders.

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accountant British  

/ əˈkaʊntənt /

noun

1. a person concerned with the maintenance and audit of business accounts and the preparation of consultant reports in tax and finance

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Other Word Forms

• accountantship noun

Etymology

Origin of accountant

First recorded in 1425–75; account + -ant; replacing late Middle English accomptant, from Middle French, Old French acuntant, present participle of acunter “to account ”

Compare meaning

How does accountant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• actuary vs. accountant

Example Sentences

Ole: I was decent at school and my best subject was maths, so if I wasn't a footballer I probably would be an accountant or something with numbers or maths.

From BBC

The tax bill also expands eligible expenses to include credentialing and licensing programs such coursework or tests to become a fitness trainer, a certified public accountant, or a lawyer.

From Barron's

Suffice to say the accountants have been through this interior like a pack of wolves.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it was Kahn, the trusted accountant, and Indyke, the loyal lawyer, who kept the engine running for years with their financial and legal maneuvers.

From The Wall Street Journal

His father was an accountant until the company where he worked went under on Black Monday, the stock market crash of 1987, and then went into the restaurant business.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• actuary
• analyst
• auditor
• bookkeeper
• clerk