teetotaler

noun

tee·​to·​tal·​er ˈtē-ˈtō-tᵊl-ər How to pronounce teetotaler (audio)
-ˌtō-
variants or teetotaller
: one who practices or advocates teetotalism

Did you know?

A person who abstains from alcohol might choose tea as his or her alternative beverage, but the word teetotaler has nothing to do with tea. More likely, the "tee" that begins the word teetotal is a reduplication of the letter "t" that begins total, emphasizing that one has pledged total abstinence. In the early 1800s, tee-total and tee-totally were used to intensify total and totally, much the way we now might say, "I'm tired with a capital T." "I am now … wholly, solely, and teetotally absorbed in Wayne's business," wrote the folklorist Parson Weems in an 1807 letter. Teetotal and teetotaler first appeared with their current meanings in 1834, eight years after the formation of the American Temperance Society.

Examples of teetotaler in a Sentence

in a quandary about what to serve for the wedding toast since his future in-laws are teetotalers
Recent Examples on the Web And what the film doesn’t spotlight is that Robert was hardly a teetotaler himself. Vulture, 25 July 2023 Alcohol is available in bars and clubs in the United Arab Emirates, the federation of seven sheikhdoms that includes Dubai, but the Muslim country has a large population of teetotalers. Nick El Hajj, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2023 Yours truly, a veritable teetotaler, didn’t make it through the opening martini. Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 5 June 2023 People who abstain completely from alcohol are a minority, and those who aren’t teetotalers for religious reasons are more likely to have chronic health problems, to have a disability or to be from lower income backgrounds. Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023 Minerals: The Irish aren’t as gasping for booze as the stereotype has it: Ireland’s not even in the global top 10 for frequency of alcohol-drinking and there is a sizable population of teetotalers. Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 17 Mar. 2023 People who abstain completely from alcohol are a minority, and those who aren’t teetotalers for religious reasons are more likely to have chronic health problems, to have a disability, or to be from lower-income backgrounds. Roni Caryn Rabin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023 For her part, Robinson has gone without a drink for more than two years and experienced her best training and fastest marathon after three months as a teetotaler (coincidence or not). Erin Strout, Women's Health, 22 Mar. 2023 And 45 is a teetotaler. Zach Everson, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'teetotaler.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teetotaler was in 1834

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Cite this Entry

“Teetotaler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teetotaler. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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