telegraph
tel·e·graph/ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡɹæf/noun, verb
telegraph is spelled T-E-L-E-G-R-A-P-H: 9 letters and 3 syllables (tel·e·graph). It appears 10 times per million words in written English, the 7,121st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, telegraph means “Synonym of telegraphy, any process for transmitting arbitrarily long messages over a long distance using a symbolic code” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of telegraph is telegraphs.
How many letters and syllables are in telegraph?
| Letters | 9: T-E-L-E-G-R-A-P-H |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: tel·e·graph |
| In writing | 10 times per million words; the 7,121st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is telegraph?
Telegraph appears 10 times per million words in written English, the 7,121st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce telegraph?
- UK /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡɹɑːf/
- UK /ˈtɛl.ə.ɡɹɑːf/
- US /ˈtɛl.ɪ.ɡɹæf/
Telegraph has 3 syllables, split tel·e·graph in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-telegraph.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of telegraph
- telegraphs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- telegraphing participle, present
- telegraphed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does telegraph mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Synonym of telegraphy, any process for transmitting arbitrarily long messages over a long distance using a symbolic code.
This strict sense of telegraph developed from French usage for Napoleon's overland semaphore network but rather arbitrarily excludes similar Chinese and other signalling networks.
- 2
The electrical device gradually developed in the early 19th century to transmit messages (telegrams) using Morse code; the entire system used to transmit its messages including overhead lines and transoceanic cables.
The first message transmitted by telegraph in the United States was WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT.
- 3
A visible or audible cue that indicates to an opponent the action that a character is about to take.
verb
- 1
To use a telegraph; to send a message by telegraph.
- 2
To clearly communicate to another nonverbally (whether by gesture, a change in attitude, or any other sign), and especially unintentionally.
Her frown telegraphed her displeasure.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate telegraph?
Wiktionary records 3 abbreviations of telegraph: Tel., tel, teleg..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Telegraph in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | télégraphe , télégraphier, dépêcher |
| German | Telegraph, Telegraf , telegraphieren, depeschieren |
| Portuguese | telégrafo , telegrafar |
| Spanish | telégrafo , telegrafiar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does telegraph come from?
Borrowed from French télégraphe, equivalent to tele- (“far, distant”) + -graph (“writing”), suggested as a new name for Claude Chappe's overland semaphore network by André François Miot de Mélito in place of Chappe's original tachygraphe (“tachygraph, fast writer”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).