# TEL

/ˈtɛɫ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tel
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. telephone number

noun · CEFR A2

a short way to write 'telephone' on a business card or form.

For teachers: a standard abbreviation for 'telephone', typically used as a label preceding a phone number in print or digital contact information.

- The company's contact details were listed as Tel: 555-0199.
- Please ensure that the 'Tel' field on the application form includes your international country code to avoid processing delays.

### 2. missile launcher vehicle

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Initialism of transporter erector launcher. A military vehicle that carries, lifts, and fires missiles.

For teachers: Initialism of transporter erector launcher. A mobile platform capable of transporting a guided missile, elevating it to a vertical position, and launching it.

- Satellite images showed a TEL moving toward the border under the cover of night.
- The deployment of a mobile TEL makes tracking missile batteries significantly more difficult for aerial surveillance compared to fixed silos.

### 3. fuel additive

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a chemical added to petrol in the past to help engines run smoothly.

For teachers: Abbreviation for tetraethyllead. A lead-based organometallic compound formerly used as an anti-knock additive in automotive gasoline.

- Most modern cars cannot use fuel containing TEL because it damages the engine.
- The global phase-out of TEL in motor gasoline has been one of the most successful environmental health initiatives of the last century.

## Examples

- The school uses TEL to make lessons more interactive.
- The university invested in TEL to support students who needed to access lectures from home during the winter.
- While TEL offers significant advantages for remote accessibility, its successful implementation depends heavily on the digital literacy of both the instructors and the student body.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.