fortune-teller

American

[fawr-chuhn-tel-er] / ˈfɔr tʃənˌtɛl ər /

Or fortuneteller

noun

a person who claims the ability to predict the future.

fortune-teller British

noun

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

fortune-telling

adjective

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.

“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

“With the world like this, people need spiritual anchors,” said Pimchat Viboonthaninkul, a 26-year-old fortune-teller who works exclusively online and who co-founded Mootae World that started the tarot card phone wallpaper trend last year.

From Reuters • Apr. 15, 2022

Maybe she has a career as a fortune-teller.

From Fox News • Nov. 22, 2020

“And while you were quick-thinking on the fortune-teller case and I have observed you are a strong reader, your grammar and arithmetic skills leave much to be desired.”

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023