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controller

n.
US //kənˈtɹoʊɫɝ// UK //kəntɹˈəʊlɐ// con·troller
  1. 1 video game device (n.)
    A2 Elementary Computing

    a handheld device you use to play video games and control the characters.

    a hardware input device designed for interacting with video games.

    Example

    He dropped his controller on the floor after losing the final level of the game.

    Example

    Modern wireless controllers feature haptic feedback and motion sensors to provide a more immersive experience for the player.
  2. 2 person in charge (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a person who manages or directs a particular system or process.

    an individual responsible for the supervision and regulation of a specific operation or system.

    Example

    The air traffic controller guided the plane safely to the runway.

    Example

    As the mission controller, she was responsible for every critical decision made during the satellite's orbital insertion.
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  1. 3 financial officer (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    the person in charge of managing a company's money and accounting.

    the chief accounting officer of an organisation, responsible for financial reporting and auditing.

    Example

    The company controller noticed a mistake in the yearly budget report.

    Example

    The corporate controller implemented new auditing procedures to ensure the subsidiary remained compliant with international tax regulations.

    Usage

    Often spelled 'comptroller' in government or non-profit contexts, though the pronunciation is usually the same.
  2. 4 hardware/software component (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    a part of a computer or machine that manages how other parts work.

    a hardware device or software module that manages or directs the flow of data between components.

    Example

    The computer needs a new hard drive controller to speed up data transfers.

    Example

    In the model-view-controller architecture, the controller accepts input and converts it into commands for the model or view.
  3. 5 intelligence supervisor (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    the person who gives orders to a secret agent working in the field.

    the individual who supervises and handles communication with an intelligence agent during an operation.

    Example

    The spy sent a coded message back to his controller in London.

    Example

    The agent began to suspect that his controller had been compromised by a double agent within the agency.
Origin

From Middle English countreroller, from Anglo-Norman contreroulour and Middle French contreroleur (French contrôleur), from Medieval Latin contrārotulātor, from *contrārotulāre (from which control). Doublet of comptroller. By surface analysis, control + -er.

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