[ kuh n-troh-ler ]
/ kənˈtroʊ lər /


a person who regulates, directs, or restrains.
British Aeronautics. a dispatcher.
a regulating mechanism; governor.
Also called control unit, processor. Computers. the key component of a device, as a terminal, printer, or external storage unit, that contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute instructions fed into the device.
a remote piece of hardware used to direct or control an electronic device: a video-game controller.

Origin of controller

1350–1400; Middle English countrollour < Anglo-French countrero(u)llour, Middle French contrerolleur, equivalent to contrerolle duplicate roll (see control) + -eur, -our < Latin -ōr- -or2 or -ātōr- -ator



Examples from the Web for controller

British Dictionary definitions for controller

/ (kənˈtrəʊlə) /


a person who directs, regulates, or restrains
Also called: comptroller a business executive or government officer who is responsible for financial planning, control, etc
the equipment concerned with controlling the operation of an electrical device

Derived forms of controller

controllership, noun