English

accountant

gb/əkˈaʊntənt/ us/əkˈaʊntənt/
B1 English
~ 6200
Senses
0 senses
Noun B1 entity
1

professional who handles finances

A person whose job is to keep and check money records for people or companies.

Usage pattern: [someone] works as an accountant
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "accountant" with "account" or "accounting". "Accountant" is a person ("She is an accountant"), while "account" is a record or customer profile ("a bank account"), and "accounting" is the field or activity ("He studies accounting"). Another common mistake is dropping the article and saying "She is accountant" instead of the correct "She is an accountant."
Synonyms
bookkeeper (Usually focuses on recording daily transactions; may have less formal training than an accountant.) | auditor (A type of accountant who mainly checks and reviews financial records, especially for errors or fraud.) | finance professional (Very general term for someone working with money; not limited to doing accounts.)
Collocations
chartered accountant |certified public accountant |tax accountant |company accountant |hire an accountant |accountant's report
Themes
business |work |money |finance
Examples
  • She works as an accountant for a large international bank.
  • The company hired an accountant to prepare its annual financial statements.
  • My accountant advised me to keep all my receipts for tax purposes.
  • As the only accountant in the firm, he is responsible for budgeting and payroll.
  • They are looking for a qualified accountant with at least three years of experience.
Learner examples
  • My sister is an accountant at a small company.
  • I will ask my accountant if this is good for my taxes.
  • The accountant checks all the bills before the boss pays them.
  • He wants to study accounting and become an accountant.
  • Our accountant helps us understand where our money goes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
accountant
IPA
GB/əkˈaʊntənt/
US/əkˈaʊntənt/
Syllables & stress
ac - count - ant (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (count)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: accountant
  • Plural: accountants
Word family
Forms
accountants noun
Core family
account noun A2 accounting noun
Related words
accountable adjective B2 accountability noun B2 accountancy noun
Negative and opposite forms
unaccountable adjective C1
Advanced or less common
unaccountably adverb
Expressions

certified public accountant

1
/sˈɚtəfˌaɪd pˈʌblɪk əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

licensed public accountant (CPA)

An accountant in the US and some other countries who has passed official exams and is licensed by the state, often called a CPA.

Examples
  • She is a certified public accountant who specializes in small business taxes.
  • The report must be signed by a certified public accountant before it is submitted.

chartered accountant

1
/t͡ʃˈɑɹtɚd əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant with chartered status

An accountant who has passed special exams and is officially recognized by a professional body, especially in the UK and some other countries.

Examples
  • After qualifying as a chartered accountant, she quickly found a job in London.
  • The firm is looking for a chartered accountant with at least five years' experience.

chartered professional accountant

1
/t͡ʃˈɑɹtɚd pɹəfˈɛʃənəl əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

chartered professional accountant (CPA)

An accountant, especially in Canada, who has a special professional title called Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

Examples
  • She is a chartered professional accountant working in Toronto.
  • To become a chartered professional accountant, you must complete specific education and exams.

cost accountant

1
/kˈɔst əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant focused on costs

An accountant who studies how much it costs a company to make products or provide services.

Examples
  • The cost accountant analyzed the rising price of raw materials.
  • As a cost accountant, she helps the factory reduce waste and save money.

creative accountant

1
/kɹiˈeɪtɪv əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant using risky methods

An accountant who uses unusual or risky methods to make a companys financial situation look better than it really is, sometimes close to being dishonest.

Examples
  • Some investors worried that the companys profits were the result of a creative accountant.
  • They brought in a new CFO to replace the creative accountants ways with more transparent reporting.

forensic accountant

1
/fɚˈɛnsɪk əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant who investigates crimes

An accountant who examines money records to find signs of crime or to help in legal cases.

Examples
  • The court appointed a forensic accountant to review the company's books.
  • Forensic accountants were brought in to trace the missing funds.

management accountant

1
/mˈænɪd͡ʒmənt əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant for internal management

An accountant who helps managers inside a company plan, control, and understand company costs and money.

Examples
  • As a management accountant, he prepares monthly budget reports for the directors.
  • The company is expanding its team of management accountants to improve cost control.

senior accountant

1
/sˈinjɚ əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

higher-level experienced accountant

An accountant with more experience and responsibility than a junior or regular accountant.

Examples
  • After five years, she was promoted to senior accountant.
  • The senior accountant reviews all the financial reports before they go to the CFO.

staff accountant

1
/stˈæf əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

regular non-manager accountant

An accountant who works in a company but is not a manager; usually at a basic or mid-level position.

Examples
  • He started as a staff accountant and later became a manager.
  • The company is hiring a staff accountant to help with daily bookkeeping.

tax accountant

1
/tˈæks əkˈaʊntənt/
fixed phrase

accountant who handles taxes

An accountant whose main job is to help people or companies with their taxes.

Examples
  • We hired a tax accountant to make sure our return was correct.
  • If your finances are complex, it is safer to use a tax accountant.

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