telephoto

1 of 3

adjective

tele·​pho·​to ˌte-lə-ˈfō-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce telephoto (audio)
: being a camera lens system designed to give a large image of a distant object
also : relating to or being photography in which a telephoto lens is used

telephoto

2 of 3

noun

plural telephotos
1
: a telephoto lens
2
: a photograph taken with a camera having a telephoto lens

Telephoto

3 of 3

trademark

used for an apparatus for transmitting photographs electrically or for a photograph so transmitted

Examples of telephoto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The main and ultrawide cameras are the same as the Pixel 7, but the Pro adds a 48MP, f/3.5 telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 What would be a jagged mess with digital zoom is smooth and clear thanks to the telephoto camera's optics. PCMAG, 6 Feb. 2024 The cameras are the same as the standard S24: a 50-megapixel main camera is joined by a 12-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto offering 3X optical zoom. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024 Image: OnePlus In terms of cameras, the OnePlus 12 has a triple rear setup consisting of a 50-megapixel main, a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto with a 3x optical zoom, and a 48-megapixel ultrawide. Jon Porter, The Verge, 5 Dec. 2023 The main camera is 50 MP, plus a 50 MP wide-angle lens and a 20 MP telephoto camera. Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 13 July 2023 There’s more of an emphasis on the camera system now, as this is the first ROG smartphone to include a 3X telephoto camera alongside the 13-megapixel ultrawide and 50-megapixel primary sensor. Condé Nast, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2024 The larger Pixel 7 Pro has a 5x optical telephoto lens that can capture images with up to 30x Super Res zoom with digital cropping, whereas the non-Pro version lacks the telephoto shooter. Chuong Nguyen, Ars Technica, 24 Mar. 2023 In a small concession to modernity (not to mention content creation), a couple of GoPros and video cameras with long telephoto lenses also dotted the car and track to provide more scientific documentation. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 26 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'telephoto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1893, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of telephoto was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near telephoto

telephony

telephoto

Telephoto

Cite this Entry

“Telephoto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telephoto. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

telephoto

adjective
tele·​pho·​to
ˌtel-ə-ˈfōt-ō
: being a camera lens designed to give a large image of a distant object

More from Merriam-Webster on telephoto

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!