A person who claims to predict the future or reveal hidden information about someone's life, often using cards, crystal balls, or reading palms.
From 'fortune' (Middle English from Old French, meaning chance or destiny) and 'teller' (one who tells). The compound emerged in English around the 1600s as a person who 'tells fortunes,' though fortune-telling practices are ancient.
Fortune tellers have been documented in nearly every culture throughout history—from ancient Roman augurs to Medieval European wise women—suggesting humans have always been fascinated by knowing the future, even when we can't actually predict it.
Historically feminized and associated with superstition, fraud, and moral dubiousness; women practitioners were stereotyped while male equivalents ('magicians,' 'prestidigitators') received credibility.
Use with awareness that the role has been gendered feminine. When discussing the profession, use gender-neutral language and avoid conflating gender with credibility or legitimacy.
["fortune-teller (neutral)","diviner","tarot reader"]
Many women have built legitimate careers in divination, psychology, and performance arts; the historical dismissal reflects sexism rather than the practitioners' actual acumen.
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