time teller

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'time teller' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe someone who can tell the time, or to metaphorically represent someone or something that can predict or tell the future. For example: "The soothsayer was like a time teller, foretelling our future from the stars."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

I was actually the person who sang the jingle about "Tillie the All Time Teller" for First National Bank.

The Guardian - Tech

Buy 4. Nixon Time Teller: £49, Zalando The Californian brand makes design-led watches that work for the founders' sports of choice - skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing - but also pack a style punch, without making too much a dent in the wallet.

Independent

At the same time, Teller is reviled for his role in getting Oppenheimer's security clearance revoked and cutting him out of potential government posts.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

And it turns out that in the face of smartphone time tellers, the ages-old watch business is very much alive and kicking.

The New York Times

Ms. Ball, 52, a part-time teller, was sent out to retrieve a pizza delivery.

The New York Times

Each year, he presides over the bank's "Wow!" awards, dispensing prizes to employees for the best part-time teller and other categories.

The New York Times

Soon the gadget blogs were pointing readers to wristband sources and offering reviews of the device not as a music player but as a time-teller.

The New York Times - Magazine

News previously available on Twitter and Facebook will be limited to teasers linking followers and friends to the subscription service's registration page or to a one-time micropayment teller.

The New Yorker

Another painting he created at this time, The Fortune Teller, shows a young woman deftly removing a man's ring as she pretends to read his palm.

The Guardian - Arts

At the same time, levels of teller employment in the U.S. remained stable for decades.

TechCrunch

It's like the time that Mr. Teller shot the Marc Jacobs Daisy print ads, and I bought the perfume without even smelling it.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "time teller" when you want a more descriptive or metaphorical way to refer to something that indicates time, rather than just using a standard term like clock or watch.

Common error

Avoid using "time teller" when you actually mean "fortune teller", which is someone who claims to predict the future. "Time teller" strictly relates to indicating or measuring time, not predicting future events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "time teller" primarily functions as a compound noun. It describes something or someone that indicates or announces the time. Ludwig's AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "time teller" functions as a compound noun, indicating something or someone that displays or announces the time. While grammatically correct and usable, as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is relatively rare. The phrase appears primarily in news and media contexts. When writing, consider using "time teller" for a more descriptive or metaphorical expression, but avoid confusing it with "fortune teller". Alternatives like "timekeeper" or "temporal indicator" might be suitable depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

timekeeper

A general term for someone who records or monitors the passage of time.

clock watcher

Focuses on someone preoccupied with tracking time, often in a work context.

timetable indicator

Refers to something that displays or signals a schedule.

predictor of time

Highlights the predictive aspect related to future schedules or deadlines.

time measurer

Focuses on the act of quantifying time, rather than indicating it.

schedule announcer

Emphasizes the role of publicly stating or relaying a timetable.

hour announcer

Specifically denotes someone or something that announces the current hour.

future forecaster

Implies a prediction of events happening at a specified time in the future.

temporal indicator

A more formal term for something that signifies a point in time.

chronometer

A technical term for a precise timekeeping instrument, less conversational.

FAQs

How can I use "time teller" in a sentence?

You might say, "The old sundial served as the town's only "time teller"" or "Smartwatches act as personal "time tellers", always displaying the current time."

What can I say instead of "time teller"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "timekeeper", "clock watcher", or "temporal indicator".

Is "time teller" the same as a "fortune teller"?

No, a "fortune teller" claims to predict the future, while a "time teller" simply indicates the current time.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "time teller"?

Use "time teller" when you want a slightly more creative or descriptive way to refer to something that shows the time, especially when it's not a standard clock or watch.