The word 'telepath' is a modern English formation, coined in the late 19th century from two ancient Greek elements. The first part, tele-, meaning 'far off', is a common prefix in words like 'telegraph' and 'telescope', denoting operation over a distance. The second part, -path, derives from pathos, a term for 'feeling' or 'experience'. When combined, the literal construction 'far-feeler' or 'distant-experiencer' was created to logically describe a person whose mind is believed to perceive or feel another's thoughts across space, bypassing the physical senses. This neologism perfectly encapsulates the core concept of the paranormal phenomenon it names.

Structure: tele (distant) + path (feeling) - tele: From Greek tēle-, meaning 'far off, at a distance'. It functions as a combining form indicating distance. - path: From Greek -pathēs, from pathos meaning 'feeling, suffering, experience'. It functions as a combining form indicating a receiver or experiencer of a particular feeling or condition.