# teller

/ˈtɛɫɝ/ (US) · /tˈɛlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/teller
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. bank employee

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a person who works at a bank and helps you with your money, like deposits or withdrawals.

For teachers: a bank employee who receives and pays out money over the counter. Often used in American English where British English might prefer 'cashier'.

- The bank teller smiled and asked for my identification before cashing the check.
- The head teller managed the daily reconciliation of the vault, ensuring that every transaction recorded by the staff matched the physical currency on hand.

### 2. storyteller

noun · CEFR B2

someone who tells stories or gives information.

For teachers: a person who recounts or narrates stories, anecdotes, or specific information.

- My grandfather was a wonderful teller of tall tales about his time at sea.
- As a master teller of historical narratives, the author manages to make complex political events feel personal and immediate.

### 3. vote counter

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who counts the votes in an election.

For teachers: an official appointed to count votes in a legislative body or during a public election.

- The tellers spent all night counting the paper ballots by hand.
- After the final ballot was cast, the tellers retired to a private room to verify the results under the supervision of independent observers.

## Examples

- The teller counts the cash before handing it to the customer.
- I waited in line for ten minutes to speak with a teller about my missing deposit.
- While digital banking has reduced the need for physical branches, many customers still prefer the security of having a human teller verify their high-value transactions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.