Teetotaler: meaning, definitions and examples

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teetotaler

 

[ tiːˈtəʊtələ ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

person

A person who never drinks alcohol.

Synonyms

abstainer, non-drinker, temperance advocate.

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Word Description / Examples
teetotaler

Used to describe someone who completely abstains from alcoholic beverages, often for personal or health reasons.

  • John is a teetotaler and always orders soda while his friends have beer.
  • As a teetotaler, Mary prefers fruit juice at parties.
abstainer

Refers to someone who refrains from consuming certain substances or participating in certain activities, typically those considered harmful.

  • Being an abstainer, Paul never touches alcohol or tobacco.
  • Sara’s friends respect her choice as an abstainer and don’t offer her drinks.
non-drinker

Specifies a person who does not drink alcohol, usually without strong emphasis on the reason behind it.

  • At the office party, Max was the only non-drinker among his colleagues.
  • As a non-drinker, Emma likes to bring her own beverages to gatherings.
temperance advocate

Describes someone who actively promotes the abstinence from alcoholic beverages, often involved in movements or campaigns.

  • As a temperance advocate, Lydia speaks at schools about the dangers of alcohol.
  • Temperance advocates often participate in community events to spread their message.

Examples of usage

  • My friend is a teetotaler and never touches alcohol.
  • As a teetotaler, she prefers to drink water or juice at parties.

Translations

Translations of the word "teetotaler" in other languages:

🇵🇹 abstêmio

🇮🇳 नशामुक्त

🇩🇪 Antialkoholiker

🇮🇩 pantang minum alkohol

🇺🇦 тверезник

🇵🇱 abstynent

🇯🇵 禁酒者

🇫🇷 abstinent

🇪🇸 abstemio

🇹🇷 içki içmeyen

🇰🇷 금주자

🇸🇦 ممتنع عن شرب الكحول

🇨🇿 abstinent

🇸🇰 abstinent

🇨🇳 滴酒不沾的人

🇸🇮 abstinent

🇮🇸 bindindismaður

🇰🇿 ішімдік ішпейтін адам

🇬🇪 თავისუფალი

🇦🇿 içki içməyən

🇲🇽 abstemio

Etymology

The term 'teetotal' originated in the early 19th century in England. It was formed by combining the letter 't' with 'total' to emphasize complete abstinence from alcohol. The teetotal movement was a social movement promoting total abstinence from alcoholic beverages, and teetotalers were active participants in this movement. The term has since become widely used to describe individuals who choose not to consume alcohol for personal, religious, or health reasons.

See also: teetotal, totalable, totaling, totalistic, totalitarian, totality, totalizer, totally.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,866, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.