Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

fortune-teller

American  
[fawr-chuhn-tel-er] / ˈfɔr tʃənˌtɛl ər /
Or fortuneteller

noun

  • fortune-tellers
    plural
  1. a person who claims the ability to predict the future.


fortune-teller British  

noun

  1. a person who makes predictions about the future as by looking into a crystal ball, reading palms, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of fortune-teller

First recorded in 1580–90; fortune + teller ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Mia village emerged in 1966 after the first blind fortune-teller settled there, according to the Seongbuk Cultural Centre, which researches the district's history.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

She remembers when the blocks up to Tin Hau Temple brimmed with food carts, trinkets, and the occasional fortune-teller.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

“I think what foreigners see isn’t the reality,” said Nattipong Boonpuang, a 32-year-old fortune-teller and model.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 19, 2023

Azucena Agüero Blanch, a 72-year old professional fortune-teller once consulted by former President Carlos Menem, has also explained that she is working with magical stones to ensure an Argentina victory.

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2022

Remaining for the moment only two women sitting at a table, rather than a fortune-teller and an illusionist, an opportunity they are not frequently presented with.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

“Surely, the government does not mean to suggest that fortune-tellers and street performers may be deprived of their Second Amendment rights.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

It consisted of 317 ships and 27,000 people, including sailors, soldiers, scholars, craftspeople, and fortune-tellers.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

Now, he regularly seeks the advice of fortune-tellers, wears lucky amulets, and has pictures of tarot cards as wallpaper on his phone.

From Reuters ● Apr. 15, 2022

These stories traverse the globe from Iran to New York and were expressed through collages, drawn images and narratives which were then folded into playful paper fortune-tellers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2022

"Some fortune-tellers read palms. Others read tea leaves," she explained.

From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com