Question

comptroller noun If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French "contrerolleur") under the influence of the Middle French word "compte" ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well. 1 : a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures2 : a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes supervises expenditures3 : the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (as a college)

Accepted Answer

February 6, 2010 kun-TROH-ler The comptroller verified and approved the financial information of the grant proposal.

Word	comptroller
Date	February 6, 2010
Type	noun
Syllables	kun-TROH-ler
Etymology	If you think "comptroller" looks like a mistaken spelling of "controller," you're partially right. Today, "comptroller" is an established word that shares one of its meanings (sense 3) with "controller." The term did originate as a misspelling, however. Around the 15th century, Middle English speakers altered the spelling of "conterroller" (meaning "controller," from the Middle French "contrerolleur") under the influence of the Middle French word "compte" ("account"). The resulting word, "comptroller," has attracted criticism over the years. Grammarian Henry Fowler condemned "comptroller" as "not merely archaic, but erroneous" in 1920, and a lexicographical column from 1931 agreed that "comptroller" is "erroneous and should not be accepted as correct." Nevertheless, such modern institutions as colleges and governments continue to have comptrollers. "Comptrollership" occasionally turns up as well.
Examples	The comptroller verified and approved the financial information of the grant proposal.
Definition	1 : a royal-household official who examines and supervises expenditures 2 : a public official who audits government accounts and sometimes supervises expenditures 3 : the chief accounting officer of a business enterprise or an institution (as a college)

Comptroller Middle Spelling Controller Word French Official Supervises