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

The measure would require the state auditor to conduct a financial and performance audit of proposed ballot initiatives and of the programs they fund.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

One Claude agent has been serving as a “builder” and another serves as an auditor, summarizing the work the first agent did.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

City Manager Reginald Goodson, who wasn’t in the role at the time, wrote to the state auditor that work gatherings, such as team dinners, are commonly paid for “if considered reasonable and appropriate.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

“I’m not surprised. He’s not an auditor, he’s not a CPA. He doesn’t know the professional standard and what consists of an audit.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

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

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Third, independent auditors to measure these systems not by efficiency or profit alone, but by whether they protect human dignity and serve the common good.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Walker opened a foundation bank account and transferred funds to his personal accounts, Bonta said, attempting to conceal those transfers with fake reimbursement records and forging receipts to mislead auditors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

Privacy & Transparency Look for no-logs policies that have been verified by independent auditors.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

He said the accounts were "independently audited by external auditors and are submitted to the electoral commission for scrutiny".

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 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