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

It also announced changes to its age-verification process and parental controls as well as agreeing to appoint an independent auditor to check the measures are implemented and maintained.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

An independent auditor, chosen jointly by Meta and a committee of states and paid for by the company, would monitor compliance of the overall settlement for 10 years.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

So keep good records in case the tax man comes knocking, said Moll, “and hope the auditor or the judge agrees.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The firm shared the report with its independent auditor, which issued “unqualified audit opinions” giving the company’s 2024 and 2025 financials a clean bill of health, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

My dad is an auditor for a big accounting firm.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

In his blog post, Pachocki called for legally or internationally required minimum safety thresholds which could be enforced by a "network of third-party auditors" or "government agencies".

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

“We strive to set the highest standards for pay and we require that all supply chain partners adhere to our code of conduct. Furthermore, Shein works with auditors to ensure compliance,” the company said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

She said auditors in Ohio created a “false narrative” about her charter school and her actions, and that she took a plea deal only after being exhausted emotionally and financially by a drawn-out investigation.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Ms. Dierksheide and Mr. Guyatt review Jefferson’s anxieties and plans with the sternness of auditors rooting out unauthorized deductions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

We, his auditors, were enthralled—swept away in awe.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• accountant
• actuary
• bookkeeper