Word
telegraph
Phoneticstele·graph
US/ˈtɛɫəˌɡɹæf/
UK/tˈɛlɪɡɹˌæf/
Definitions
01historical communication device
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Archaic
n. an old machine used to send messages over long distances using electricity and wires.
n. a historical telecommunications device or system used to transmit text messages via electrical signals, typically using Morse code.
“Before the telephone was invented, people used the telegraph to send urgent news across the country.”
“The invention of the electric telegraph revolutionized global commerce by allowing information to travel faster than a physical courier for the first time in history.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the system as a whole.
Synonyms
02to signal intentions
C1 · Advanced Informal
v. to show what you are going to do next through your movements or expression, often without meaning to.
v. to unintentionally communicate an intended action or feeling through non-verbal cues or body language.
“The boxer telegraphed his next move by looking down at his opponent's feet.”
“The negotiator inadvertently telegraphed her lack of confidence by fidgeting with her pen whenever the price was mentioned.”
Teaching tip
This figurative sense is very common in sports and gaming contexts to describe predictable behavior.
03to send a message
B2 · Upper Intermediate Archaic
v. to send a message using a telegraph machine.
v. to transmit a message via a telegraphic system.
“The general telegraphed his orders to the troops at the front line.”
“The diplomat telegraphed the terms of the treaty back to the capital, awaiting a response from the prime minister.”
Real-World Examples
“Since then, technology has advanced past the telegraph.” “And before there was music on telephones, there was music on telegraphs.” Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/telegraph