teller
B1Neutral to formal in financial contexts; neutral in storytelling contexts
Definition
Meaning
a person employed to receive and pay out money in a bank
A person who tells something, especially stories or information; in elections, an official who counts votes
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning refers to a bank employee; secondary meanings are more literal ('one who tells') or specialized (election official)
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in core banking meaning. 'Teller' as election official is more common in US (e.g., 'teller of votes').
Connotations
In UK, may sound slightly more formal/old-fashioned for bank staff; 'cashier' is also common. In US, 'teller' is standard.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English for the banking sense.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
teller of [story/votes]teller at [bank/branch]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “as honest as a bank teller”
- “the tale of the teller”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Standard term for bank staff handling transactions
Academic
Rare; may appear in economics or narrative studies
Everyday
Common when referring to banking or storytelling
Technical
Used in banking/finance and electoral systems
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teller gave me my money.
- She works as a bank teller.
- Please go to the next available teller for assistance.
- The ancient teller of tales captivated the village children.
- The head teller is responsible for balancing the cash drawers at the end of the day.
- In some jurisdictions, tellers are appointed to count ballots manually.
- His career trajectory from teller to branch manager exemplifies internal promotion structures.
- The postmodern novelist functions as an unreliable teller, deliberately obscuring narrative truth.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A TELLer in a bank TELLs you your balance.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOURCE OF INFORMATION/TRUTH (like a storyteller or financial informant)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как 'рассказчик' в финансовом контексте; в банке это 'кассир' или 'операционист'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'teller' for any bank employee (specific to counter staff)
- Confusing with 'seller'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical role of a 'teller'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most common for banks, it can refer to anyone who tells (e.g., storyteller) or officially counts (e.g., vote teller).
In a bank context, they are often synonyms, though 'cashier' can be broader (any retail context). 'Teller' is specifically financial.
Yes, ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine, a machine that performs some functions of a human teller.
No, 'teller' is only a noun. The related verb is 'to tell'.
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