auditor

American  

[aw-di-ter] / ˈɔ dɪ tər /

noun

• auditors
  plural

1. a person appointed and authorized to examine accounts and accounting records, compare the charges with the vouchers, verify balance sheet and income items, and state the result.

2. a university student registered for a course without credit and without obligation to do work assigned to the class.

3. a hearer; listener.

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auditor British  

/ ˈɔːdɪtə /

noun

1. a person qualified to audit accounts

2. a person who hears or listens

3. a registered student who attends a class that is not an official part of his course of study, without actively participating it

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• auditorship
  noun
• subauditor
  noun
• superauditor
  noun
• auditorial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• auditors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of auditor

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English auditour, from Anglo-French, from Latin audītor “hearer,” from audī(re) “to hear” + -tor -tor

Explanation

An auditor is someone who inspects accounting records. Don’t cheat on your taxes, or an auditor might come and check your figures. An auditor is also an attentive listener. That kind is usually more fun. The word auditor is Latin for “hearer.” This word still applies to someone who listens closely, but it also refers to a kind of accountant who checks the financial records of other people, usually to make sure nothing illegal is going on. If the Internal Revenue Service demands an audit, an auditor will go over your financial records with a fine-toothed comb. This process used to be done verbally, so both kinds of auditors need good hearing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

auditor auditors

One employee had been working and living in Idaho since late 2020 without disclosing that information to the agency, according to IP address records examined by the state auditor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

"I don't know where she is or how she is. My wife is an auditor and I have no issues with anyone," he was quoted by Nyasa Times as saying.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Enviva’s auditor determined the RWE sales proceeds couldn’t be booked as revenue given the corresponding purchase obligations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Compliance would be policed for 10 years by an independent auditor chosen jointly by Meta and the states, and paid for by the company.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

The writer is freed from the obligation of finding an auditor in public.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

The researchers also urged the company to keep its promise to permanently host independent auditors, saying they feared their dismissals "may be used to justify ending" that work.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

At sea, these programs often rely on self-reported information from ship captains rather than having auditors inspect vessels offshore.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

It says it bases its decisions on information from gold refiners, verified by auditors, but doesn’t carry out mine inspections itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

They will also work with "independent auditors" to assess whether their AI systems are working as intended and ensure their platforms do not "hack or access technical systems in unintended ways."

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Milton wore them whenever he met with bank loan officers or auditors from the IRS.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• accountant
• actuary
• bookkeeper