telegraph

noun tele·graph \ ˈte-lə-ˌgraf \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of telegraph

1 : an apparatus for communication at a distance by coded signals; especially : an apparatus, system, or process for communication at a distance by electric transmission over wire

2 : telegram

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See telegraph defined for kids

Examples of telegraph in a Sentence

I sent the message by telegraph.

Recent Examples of telegraph from the Web

The insulator has been used for more than 150 years, first with the invention of the telegraph and then with the development of the telephone and electrical industries.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Enfield Edition," 3 Apr. 2018
The insulator has been used for more than 150 years, first with the invention of the telegraph and then with the development of the telephone and electrical industries.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Enfield Edition," 27 Mar. 2018
Some 4,000 to 5,000 pairs of storks nest in Romania in the warmer months, building their nests on telegraph poles.

— Fox News, "Late winter causes trouble for Romania's stork population," 21 Mar. 2018
In several towns, nearly all telegraph and telephone wires were down, and severe damage had been done to chimneys and trees, many of which had blown down.

— elise takahama, BostonGlobe.com, "This storm sounds bad. The Great Blizzard of March 12, 1888, was a lot worse," 12 Mar. 2018
The blizzard, which began in the Rocky Mountain region near Utah, isolated Boston from the rest of the region, cutting off telegraph wire lines and blocking New England railways, according to the Globe archives.

— elise takahama, BostonGlobe.com, "This storm sounds bad. The Great Blizzard of March 12, 1888, was a lot worse," 12 Mar. 2018
Electromagnetism, the driving force behind many inventions from the telegraph to the motor, would forever alter the way people lived and worked.

— brian handwerk, Smithsonian, "Sometimes, a Scientific “Eureka!” Moment Really Does Change The World," 7 Mar. 2018
Edison presented the prototype of the phonograph for inspection by the editors, and Samuel Morse, father of the telegraph, and Elias Howe, inventor of the sewing machine, were frequent visitors to the offices in downtown New York City.

— Scientific American, "About Scientific American," 27 Feb. 2018
Washing lines are strung across the room like telegraph wires — wet clothes would likely freeze in the minus-5 temperatures outside — and the interior is all peeling wallpaper, mildew stains and a rusty mirror in the bathroom.

— alexander smith, NBC News, "Pussy Riot members say Swedish exile is price of opposing Putin," 15 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'telegraph.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of telegraph

French télégraphe, from télé- tele- (from Greek tēle-) + -graphe -graph

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1793

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

telegraph

verb

Definition of telegraph

transitive verb

1 a : to send or communicate by or as if by telegraph

b : to send a telegram to

c : to send by means of a telegraphic order

2 : to make known by signs especially unknowingly and in advance

—

telegrapher

play \tə-ˈle-grə-fər\ noun

—

telegraphist

play \tə-ˈle-grə-fist\ noun

See telegraph defined for English-language learners

Examples of telegraph in a Sentence

He telegraphed a message to her.
Please telegraph when you get there.
Please telegraph me when you get there.
The look on her face telegraphed bad news.
He lost the boxing match because he was telegraphing his punches.

Recent Examples of telegraph from the Web

Never mind that candidate Trump chastised Barack Obama for telegraphing U.S. military moves to the enemy by announcing plans in advance.

— trudy rubin, Philly.com, "Trump tweet on missile strike underscores the incoherence of his Syria policy | Trudy Rubin," 11 Apr. 2018
His frustration over not being named chief executive was well-telegraphed, not least by his surprise decision to take a job in the Trump administration.

— david gelles and kate kelly, New York Times, "Gary Cohn’s Departure From White House Has Wall St. Worried," 7 Mar. 2018
This is one of the few moves that Trump has been telegraphing for months.

— sean illing, Vox, "Why conservatives are worried about John Bolton," 23 Mar. 2018
Of course, that entire encounter, which was actually pretty well-telegraphed by William's morphing-into-Mulder shtick, followed an inordinate amount of collateral damage involving peripheral players.

— brian lowry, CNN, "'The X-Files' finale marks likely end to long search for truth," 21 Mar. 2018
The president’s tough-guy approach has recently been telegraphed in other ways — even, some have suggested, in the accusation that the Kremlin poisoned a former Russian double agent in Britain.

— neil macfarquhar, New York Times, "Putin Is Certain to Win Re-election, but His Support May Be Slipping," 16 Mar. 2018
Using such a weaponized Russian nerve agent to kill a Russian traitor is clearly telegraphing guilt.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Pick Your Poison: What the Nerve Gas Assassination Attempt Tells Us About Russia," 13 Mar. 2018
Behind performer Keala Settle stood dignified-looking singers clearly meant to telegraph inclusivity: a woman in a headscarf, a kid with pink hair, and so on.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "The Oscars' Gauzy Take on Intersectionality," 5 Mar. 2018
And no, that didn't mean focusing on the monolithic narratives of poverty and stagnation in the continent, commonly telegraphed in the media through dirty and tattered clothing.

— paige allen, Marie Claire, "Black Panther's Costumes Represent the Heart of the Movie: Unapologetic Blackness," 14 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of telegraph

1806

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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TELEGRAPH Defined for English Language Learners

telegraph

noun

Definition of telegraph for English Language Learners

: an old-fashioned system of sending messages over long distances by using wires and electrical signals
: a device used for sending or receiving messages by telegraph

telegraph

verb

Definition of telegraph for English Language Learners

: to send (a message) by telegraph
: to send a telegram to (someone)
: to make (something that you are about to do or say) obvious or apparent by the way you move, look, etc.