accountant
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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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Exemptions, Deductions, and Loopholes: Tax Day Vocabulary
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"Growing Together" and "When I Grow Up"
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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.
"This matter will now rightly be passed to the Accountant in Bankruptcy and, if appointed, the new Trustees in Sequestration."
From BBC • Nov. 2, 2025
Accountant David Healey said he had never budgeted for electricity until the power bill on his three-bedroom New Jersey house hit $550 by July.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025
Three movies came out just last month that follow this American monomyth: "The Amateur," "The Accountant 2" and "A Working Man."
From Salon • May 26, 2025
Amazon MGM Studios ended the night with an extended trailer for the Affleck-led “The Accountant 2.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2025
In the comptograph by Felt and also in "Burrough's Registering Accountant" the result is printed.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4 "Bulgaria" to "Calgary" by Various
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.
