English word origin

Etymology of audit

Borrowed from Latin audītus, from audiō (“to hear”). The sense of examine is because examinations were originally presented orally, and the examiner listened.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗

verb

To examine and adjust (e.g. an account). · To conduct an independent review and examination of system records and activities in order to test the adequacy and effectiveness of data security and data integrity procedures, to ensure compliance with established policy and operational procedures, and to recommend any necessary changes · To counsel spiritually. · To attend an academic class without the opportunity to receive academic credit.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Latin audītus, from audiō (“to hear”). The sense of examine is because examinations were originally presented orally, and the examiner listened.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*h₂ew-ine-pro
Borrowed-form mentionaudītusla

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂ew-",
        "id1": "perceive"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "audītus"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Latin audītus"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "audītus",
      "auditus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "audiō",
      "audio#Latin"
    ]
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  "descendants": [
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      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "word": "auditar",
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    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To examine and adjust (e.g. an account).",
        "To conduct an independent review and examination of system records and activities in order to test the adequacy and effectiveness of data security and data integrity procedures, to ensure compliance with established policy and operational procedures, and to recommend any necessary changes",
        "To counsel spiritually.",
        "To attend an academic class without the opportunity to receive academic credit."
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Unnumbered source etymology · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗

noun

A judicial examination. · An examination in general. · An independent review and examination of records and activities to assess the adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policies and operational procedures, and to recommend necessary changes in controls, policies, or procedures · The result of such an examination, or an account as adjusted by auditors; final account.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Latin audītus, from audiō (“to hear”). The sense of examine is because examinations were originally presented orally, and the examiner listened.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*h₂ew-ine-pro
Borrowed-form mentionaudītusla

This page abbreviates 3 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "audītus"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Latin audītus"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "audītus",
      "auditus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "audiō",
      "audio#Latin"
    ]
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  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "word": "audyt",
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        "borrowed"
      ]
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  ],
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    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A judicial examination.",
        "An examination in general.",
        "An independent review and examination of records and activities to assess the adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policies and operational procedures, and to recommend necessary changes in controls, policies, or procedures",
        "The result of such an examination, or an account as adjusted by auditors; final account."
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for audit →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YXVkaXQ