TELE

Tele- is a productive combining form in English derived from the Greek tēle, meaning far or at a distance. As a prefix, it attaches to nouns, adjectives, and verbs to signal distance, remote action, or transmission across space. The prefix is common in science and technology, and it also appears in everyday terms such as telephone and television.

In scientific and technological contexts, tele- forms many widely used words: telescope (an instrument for viewing distant objects), telephone (a device for transmitting sound over distance), television (the transmission of moving images over distance), telecommunication (communication over a distance), telemetry (remote measurement and reporting of data), telepresence (the impression of being present at a remote location), and telemedicine (medical care provided remotely). The prefix can also appear in more speculative terms such as teleport (hypothetical transport of matter or information) and related concepts like telepresence or teleautomation.

Notes: The root of tele- is Greek tēle, emphasizing distance. In some words associated with ends or purposes, the related Greek root telos is involved (as in teleology), where the meaning is not distance-based. The prefix tele- is typically pronounced TEL-ee in English and remains a versatile shorthand for concepts involving distance or remote reach.