accountant
Americannoun
-
accountants
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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:
Explanation
An accountant is a person whose job involves keeping financial records for a business. To be a great accountant, you've got to be good at math. When a company hires an accountant, it turns over the management of its accounts to that person, who is responsible for keeping track of spending, income, and any other financial information. An accountant is also held accountable for the accuracy of a company's books, and usually has to be officially certified before working in the field. The word comes from account, by way of the Old French aconter, "to count."
Vocabulary lists containing accountant
Tax Day Words
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"Growing Together" and "When I Grow Up"
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Exemptions, Deductions, and Loopholes: Tax Day Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Very exciting," said Laura Alarcon, 53, an accountant from Tarragona.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
But he cautions that residency rules can be complex — making it important to consult a qualified tax professional, such as a certified public accountant, before making any major moves.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
Because you can tell your accountant that sneakers are always a practical wardrobe investment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
However, his father Harry had made good, moved to Birmingham and worked as an accountant at the Midlands Electricity Board.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
They wanted to know everything and Milkman found himself rattling off assets like an accountant, describing deals, total rents income, bank loans, and this new thing his father was looking into—the stock market.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
In fact, the American public includes bankers, farmers, workers, traders, builders and accountants, who together spend billions of hours interacting with the government through filling out forms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
That’s why financial advisers hire tax accountants and doctors hire specialists.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
His campaign manager said Friday that accountants are still working on the new filing.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Manchester-based accountants AMS Accounts Group took on the books after Johnstone Carmichael, but Scottish firm MMG Chartered Accountants, which has recently merged with TC Group, now audits the party finances.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
The company owns factories, machinery and showrooms, and employs mechanics, accountants and secretaries, but all these together do not comprise Peugeot.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
