teetotal

[ tee-toht-l, tee-toht-l ]

/ tiˈtoʊt l, ˈtiˌtoʊt l /

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See synonyms for: teetotally on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to, advocating, or pledged to total abstinence from intoxicating drink.

Informal. absolute; complete.

verb (used without object), tee·to·taled, tee·to·tal·ing or (especially British) tee·to·talled, tee·to·tal·ling.

to practice teetotalism.

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Origin of teetotal

Reduplicated variant of total, coined by R. Turner, of Preston, England, in 1833, in a speech advocating total abstinence from alcoholic drinks

OTHER WORDS FROM teetotal

tee·to·tal·ly, adverb

Words nearby teetotal

teeth grinding, teething, teething ring, teething troubles, teethridge, teetotal, teetotaler, teetotalism, teetotum, teevee, tef

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use teetotal in a sentence

The teetotal apostle says it is a dreadful thing to be drunk.
The Romany Rye|George Borrow
They listened to some foolish women's cackle—teetotal cant, I call it—and refused me anything.
Workhouse Characters|Margaret Wynne Nevinson
But' (regretfully) 'ye'll no' can get it here; an' a'm thinkin' a'll juist sign yon teetotal thing.'
Black Rock|Ralph Connor
The teetotal attitude of mind and the quarrels it aroused very properly disgusted Kingsley.
The Law and the Poor|Edward Abbott Parry

My poor wife runs teetotal salons in Chelsea on the strength of my name.
Lady Lilith|Stephen McKenna

British Dictionary definitions for teetotal

teetotal

/ (tiːˈtəʊtəl) /

adjective

of, relating to, or practising abstinence from alcoholic drink

dialect complete

Derived forms of teetotal

teetotaller, nounteetotally, adverbteetotalism, noun

Word Origin for teetotal

C19: allegedly coined in 1833 by Richard Turner, English advocate of total abstinence from alcoholic liquors; probably from total, with emphatic reduplication

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