audit

[aw-dit]

noun

1. an official examination and verification of accounts and records, especially of financial accounts.

2. a report or statement reflecting an audit; a final statement of account.

3. the inspection or examination of a building or other facility to evaluate or improve its appropriateness, safety, efficiency, or the like.

   An energy audit can suggest ways to reduce home fuel bills.

4. Archaic.,  a judicial hearing.

5. Obsolete.,  an audience.

verb (used with object)

1. to make an audit of; examine (accounts, records, etc.) for purposes of verification.

   The accountants audited the company's books at the end of the fiscal year.

2. to attend (classes, lectures, etc.) as an auditor.

3. to make an audit of (a building or other facility) to evaluate or improve its safety, efficiency, or the like.

verb (used without object)

1. to examine and verify an account or accounts by reference to vouchers.

audit

/ ˈɔːdɪt /

noun

1. 1. an inspection, correction, and verification of business accounts, conducted by an independent qualified accountant

   2. ( as modifier )

      audit report

2. an audited account

3. any thoroughgoing check or examination

4. archaic,  a hearing

verb

1. to inspect, correct, and certify (accounts, etc)

2. to attend (classes, etc) as an auditor

audit

1. The examination by an outside party of the accounts of an individual or corporation.

Other Word Forms

• auditable adjective
• reaudit noun
• unaudited adjective
• well-audited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of audit¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English audite, from Latin audītus “the sense or act of hearing,” noun derivative of audīre “to hear”

Word History and Origins

Origin of audit¹

C15: from Latin audītus a hearing, from audīre to hear

Example Sentences

Twenty-four federal oversight agencies are part of a working group that conducts audits, evaluations and investigations related to U.S. support for Ukraine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

An official audit of the museum published shortly after the heist highlighted the institution's inadequate security systems and ageing infrastructure.

Read more on BBC

Instead of auditing payroll, they spent the afternoon filling in application forms.

Read more on BBC

Ideally, choose a provider that submits to regular external audits to prove its privacy and security claims.

Read more on Salon

Schiraldi’s suit against Deutsche Bank, filed in Frankfurt, accuses Deutsche Bank’s chief executive officer, Christian Sewing, of overseeing an unreliable internal audit that became a central part of the case against those six former employees.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• analysis 
• check 
• examination 
• investigation 
• review 
• scrutiny 
• survey 
• verification