telepath
Meaning
A person who is believed to have the ability to communicate directly from one mind to another without using speech, writing, or other normal signals.
Structure
Usage
In the science fiction novel, the protagonist is a powerful telepath who can read the thoughts of anyone in the room.
The researchers designed an experiment to test whether the self-proclaimed telepath could reliably identify hidden images.
She felt an inexplicable connection, as if she were a telepath sensing his anxiety from miles away.
Etymology
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.
Analysis
- 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.