ATM Meaning: Automated Teller Machine Explained

Meaning 1：automated teller machine (ATM)

ATM 🔊

/ˌeɪ tiː ˈem/

A machine that lets you take out money, deposit cash, or check your bank account balance without going inside a bank.

ATM machine on city street with person withdrawing cash

automated teller machine 🔊

➕

/ˌɔːtəmeɪtɪd ˈtelər məˈʃiːn/

An electronic banking device that allows customers to perform financial transactions without a human teller, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, and balance inquiries.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Acronym for 'Automated Teller Machine': 'auto' (self), 'teller' (counter), 'machine'.

💡 Mnemonic

Remember: ATM = Always Take Money when you're out and about.

📖 Example

I need to buy groceries, so I'll stop by the ATM to get some cash first. 🔊 I need to buy groceries, so I'll stop by the ATM to get some cash first.

🔗 Collocations

ATM card – A card issued by a bank used to access an ATM.

ATM withdrawal – The act of taking cash out of one's bank account via an ATM.

ATM fee – A charge applied by the bank for using an ATM, especially one not owned by the user's bank.

🔄 Synonyms

cash machine (n.) – Another term for ATM, commonly used in British English.

bank machine (n.) – A synonym for ATM, emphasizing its link to a bank.

automatic teller (n.) – A shortened form of 'automated teller machine', though less common.

📖 Cultural Story

The first ATM was installed in 1967 by Barclays Bank in London, invented by John Shepherd-Barron. It revolutionized banking by allowing 24/7 cash access.