telephone

English

/ˈtɛlɪfəʊn/, /ˈtɛləfoʊn/

noun
Definitions
  • A telecommunication device (originally mechanical, and now electronic) used for two-way talking with another person (now often shortened to phone).
  • (North America) The game of Chinese whispers.

Etymology

Borrowed from French téléphone (telephone) derived from Ancient Greek τῆλε (afar, far away, at a distance, far off, far from, distant, far) root from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (turn, move, going around, revolve, far, dwell, and therefore to sojourn, revolve around).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*kʷel-

Gloss

turn, move, going around, revolve, far, dwell, and therefore to sojourn, revolve around

Concept
Semantic Field

Motion

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji
🙃

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms