traveller's cheque: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (historical/archaic in current usage)Formal, historical, financial
Quick answer
What does “traveller's cheque” mean?
A pre-printed cheque for a fixed amount, designed for safe carrying and use abroad, requiring the holder's signature at both purchase and cashing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A pre-printed cheque for a fixed amount, designed for safe carrying and use abroad, requiring the holder's signature at both purchase and cashing.
A now largely obsolete financial instrument that provided security against theft or loss while traveling internationally, as it could only be cashed by the person who signed it twice.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK uses 'traveller's cheque' (double L), US uses 'traveler's check' (single L, and 'check' vs 'cheque'). The US spelling is also commonly seen in international contexts.
Connotations
Both carry the same historical/conceptual meaning. The UK spelling preserves the traditional financial term 'cheque'.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, primarily encountered in historical contexts, older travel literature, or discussions of financial history.
Grammar
How to Use “traveller's cheque” in a Sentence
[Subject] cashed a traveller's cheque at [Location].[Subject] purchased traveller's cheques in [Currency] before the trip.It is wise to [keep/record] the serial numbers of your traveller's cheques.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “traveller's cheque” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We shall traveller's-cheque our funds for safety. (very rare, non-standard)
American English
- They traveler's-checked their vacation money. (very rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- He paid traveller's-cheque-ly, much to the cashier's confusion. (non-standard, humorous)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form exists)
adjective
British English
- The traveller's-cheque facility at the bureau de change was closed.
American English
- He preferred the traveler's-check system for its insurance policy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Historical context: 'The company policy for overseas expenses in the 1980s mandated the use of traveller's cheques.'
Academic
In economic history: 'The decline of the traveller's cheque mirrors the rise of global electronic financial networks.'
Everyday
Rarely used. An older person might say: 'Back in the day, we didn't have cards; we had to rely on traveller's cheques.'
Technical
In financial services: 'The product lifecycle of the traveller's cheque peaked before the widespread adoption of ATM technology.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “traveller's cheque”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “traveller's cheque”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “traveller's cheque”
- Misspelling: 'travelers check' (missing apostrophe). Incorrect plural: 'traveller's cheques' (plural of cheque, not traveller). Using it as a current recommendation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Extremely rarely. Some major banks or currency exchange services in very tourist-heavy areas might still cash them, but they are not a practical form of money for modern travel.
International debit and credit cards, pre-paid travel money cards, and ATM withdrawals in local currency replaced them due to greater convenience and immediate access to funds.
It required the holder's signature at the time of purchase and again at the time of cashing. The two signatures had to match, making it useless to a thief.
Yes, it is a hyphenated or open compound noun. The possessive form 'traveller's' functions adjectivally to classify the type of cheque.
A pre-printed cheque for a fixed amount, designed for safe carrying and use abroad, requiring the holder's signature at both purchase and cashing.
Traveller's cheque is usually formal, historical, financial in register.
Traveller's cheque: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtræv.əl.əz ˌtʃek/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtræv.əl.ɚz ˌtʃek/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As safe as a traveller's cheque (now dated idiom implying security)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRAVELLER with a special CHEQUE-book that only works when they sign it in front of a bank teller abroad.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A SECURE DOCUMENT (requiring dual authentication).
Practice
Quiz
Which factor primarily led to the decline of the traveller's cheque?