controller English · revision 7511

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1292|origins=la-med contrarotulator}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kənˈtɹəʊlə/ ''(UK)''; /kənˈtɹoʊlɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English conterroller, [[bor|xno|contrerollour]] (late 13th century),^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) Old French contrerolleor (modern contrôleur),^(Etymonline) from contreroller, to keep a copy of a roll of accounts (see [[control]]),^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002) corresponding to Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|contrarotulator]].^(Etymonline) The first syllable was confused with [[count]], whence the spelling [[comptroller]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who keeps a counter-roll to check a treasurer's accounts: 1292 in the OED;^(OED 1989) an official in charge of the accounts of a king's household, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A household officer who checked expenditure is from 1441, and an officer with similar duties in public offices from 1486.^(OED 1989) An officer examining the accounts of a corporation or institution is from about 1400.^(Etymonline) One who directs or restrains is from 1541,^(OED 1989) and a censorious critic an obsolete sense of 1566.^(OED 1989) A mechanism that controls or regulates motion is from 1867.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Equipment controlling an electrical device is a later use.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1292 – a keeper of a counter-roll.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – an officer over accounts.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1541 – one who directs.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1867 – a regulating mechanism.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who [[direct|alt=directs]], regulates or restrains.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An officer who [[audit|alt=audits]] accounts and supervises finances; a comptroller.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A device that regulates a machine, vehicle or electrical device.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[controllership]]

+ * [[microcontroller]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[control]]

+ * [[comptroller]]

+ * [[roll]]

+ * [[rotate]]

+ * [[counter]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}