telegram

The word “telegram” means a short written message sent by telegraph. In plain terms, historically a message sent by telegraph; today, most commonly the messaging app Telegram.

“Telegram” is pronounced TEH-luh-gram (/ˈtɛləˌɡɹæm/ in IPA).

Here is “telegram” used in a sentence: “She received a telegram announcing the birth of her nephew.”

Depending on how it is used, “telegram” can be a noun and a name.

“Telegram” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Telegram” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short written message sent by telegraph.

A telegram is a short written message historically sent by telegraph, a now largely obsolete technology, while Telegram (capitalised) is a modern encrypted messaging app, unrelated in method though its name nods to the older tradition of quick messaging. Context and capitalisation usually make clear which is meant.

Telegrams, in the sense of short messages sent by telegraph, are a largely historical form of communication, since text messages, email, and messaging apps have replaced the technology in everyday use. The word survives mainly in historical references or as the name of the app Telegram.

A telegram was a short written message sent by telegraph, typically charged by the word and used for urgent or important communication before modern telecommunications, whereas email and text messages are sent instantly over digital networks. Telegrams were often terse due to cost, giving rise to a distinctive clipped writing style.