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Definition of telegram

telegram

/ˈtɛl.ə.ɡræm/
tel · e · gram
Plural:telegrams
•
Adjective:telegrammic
•
Past Simple:telegrammed
•
Past Participle:telegrammed
•
Present Participle:telegramming
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telegram Lexical Profile

telegram Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A message transmitted over a distance by telegraph and then printed or written out and delivered to the recipient in physical form.

Example

"The family received an urgent telegram announcing the safe arrival of the passenger ship in New York."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for telegram

• verb

1

To send a message to someone by telegraph.

Example

"He telegrammed his business partners in London as soon as the contract was signed."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for telegram

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'telegram' (the written message itself) with 'telegraph' (the electrical apparatus or system used to transmit the message).

• Rhymes for telegram

• Nearby Words

telefax
telefilm
telegenic
telegram
telegraph
telegrapher
telegraphic

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1852 by American entrepreneur Erasmus Peshine Smith from the Greek 'tele-' (meaning 'far off') and '-gram' (meaning 'that which is written'), replacing the clumsier phrase 'telegraphic dispatch'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Telegram. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/telegram
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