Teetotal: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Teetotal adjective. Never drinking alcohol.
How to say it
tee-TOH-tul/ˌtiːˈtəʊt(ə)l/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (TOH). Forms: teetotaller.
Teetotal in a sentence
He’s been teetotal for ten years and makes a mean alcohol-free mojito.
Our teetotal friend ferried everyone home after the wedding.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- abstinent
- sober
- dry
- abstemious
Opposite:
- boozy
Where teetotal comes from
From the 1830s temperance movement, total with its first letter doubled for emphasis.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Our _____ friend ferried everyone home after the wedding.
- culinary
- teetotal
- ravenous
Show the answer
teetotal: Our teetotal friend ferried everyone home after the wedding.