telephone
Meaning
a system for talking to someone else over long distances using wires or radio; a piece of equipment used for this.
to speak to someone using a telephone.
Structure
Usage
she picked up the telephone on the first ring.
i'll telephone you as soon as i arrive at the hotel.
the invention of the telephone transformed global communication.
Etymology
the word 'telephone' is a modern compound formed from ancient greek elements. the prefix 'tele-', derived from the greek adjective 'tēle', meaning 'far', was combined with the root 'phone', from the greek noun 'phōnē', signifying 'sound' or 'voice'. this literal construction, meaning 'far sound', perfectly captures the instrument's primary function: transmitting the human voice across distances. while the concept and device are 19th-century inventions, the name was coined directly from these classical components to logically describe its revolutionary capability, bypassing a long evolution from a concrete ancient term.
Analysis
- tele: from greek 'tēle-', meaning 'far off, at a distance'. functions as a combining form indicating distance. - phone: from greek 'phōnē', meaning 'sound, voice'. functions as a root denoting sound or voice.