telegraph
Telegraph (noun) means a system, or the device, used to send coded messages over long distances using electrical signals. Example: “News once travelled by telegraph across continents in minutes.”
How to use telegraph
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOriginally a long-distance messaging system; now often used figuratively for accidentally revealing your intentions.
The figurative sense ("telegraph your intentions") is now far more common in everyday speech than the literal old communication device.
Word forms
telegraphed past tense, telegraphs plural, telegraphs singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
News once travelled by _____ across continents in minutes.
Etymology
Borrowed from French telegraphe, from "tele-" ("far") plus "-graph" ("writing"), coined as a name for Claude Chappe's semaphore network.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “telegraph” mean?
The word “telegraph” means a system, or the device, used to send coded messages over long distances using electrical signals. In plain terms, originally a long-distance messaging system; now often used figuratively for accidentally revealing your intentions.
How do you pronounce “telegraph”?
“Telegraph” is pronounced TEHL-ih-grahf (/ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡɹæf/ in IPA).
How do you use “telegraph” in a sentence?
Here is “telegraph” used in a sentence: “News once travelled by telegraph across continents in minutes.”
What part of speech is “telegraph”?
Depending on how it is used, “telegraph” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “telegraph” come from?
The word “telegraph” comes from French. Borrowed from French telegraphe, from "tele-" ("far") plus "-graph" ("writing"), coined as a name for Claude Chappe's semaphore network.
Is “telegraph” a common word?
“Telegraph” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “telegraph” have?
“Telegraph” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a system, or the device, used to send coded messages over long distances using electrical signals.
What is the difference between telegraph and telegram?
The telegraph is the system or device that sends coded messages over long distances using electrical signals, while a telegram is an individual message sent by that system. In short, you send a telegram by telegraph.
What is the difference between telegraph and telephone?
A telegraph transmits coded messages — famously in Morse code — as electrical signals, so each message has to be encoded and decoded. A telephone transmits the human voice directly, allowing live conversation.
When should you use telegraph instead of reveal?
Use telegraph when something is given away unintentionally and in advance through an obvious sign, gesture, or expression, as in "his smile telegraphed the surprise." Reveal is neutral and can be deliberate, while telegraph almost always implies clumsy or unwanted disclosure before the event.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include telegraph: