术语前缀tele-来自希腊副词tele，原意为afar (遥远地）。1792年，它作为前缀首次出现在新词telegraph (电报）中，此后，许多带有tele的新词产生了。tele-开始时只能与希腊词根结合，表示afar (远距离地），operating over a distance (远距离操作） 等意思。随着现代科技的发展，它也可以与单词结合，主要表示 having to do with television，telegraph，telecommunication (电视的，电报的，电信的）等意思。tele-有个异体tel-，它只出现在极少数单词中，实际用处不大。

下面我们先介绍原生词缀tele-与词根结合的几个例子。

telegraph [ tele- = operating over a distance 远距离操作的；graph=writer 书写器=>“a writer operating over a distance 远距离操作的书写器”→]I n . an apparatus for sending message to a distance by electricity 电报机 / Telegraph was invented by Chappe. 电报机是查普发明的。II v. send (a message) by telegraph 用电报发送（信息等）/ Mother telegraphed that she would arrive home by afternoon plane. 母亲打电报说，她将乘下午班机回家。

telegraphic a. 电报的

telegraphy n. 电报学；电报术

telegram n. 电报

telepathy [ tele- = afar 遥远地；pathy = feeling 感觉“feeling of one mind afar 对远方心灵的感觉”n . communication from mind to mind without aid of the senses 心灵感应，传心术 / He know what I was imaging by guess, not by telepathy. 他是靠猜测知道我所想像的内容，不是靠心灵感应。

telepathic a. 心灵感应的

telephone [ tele- = operating over a distance 远距离操作的；phon =sound 声音；-e=>“sound being sent to a distance 送到远方的 声音”→]I n. an apparatus for sending sound to a distance by electricity 电话机 / You can find a public telephone at the corner of the street. 你在街道拐弯处会看到一架公用电话。II v. talk by telephone 打电话 / He telephoned that he was ill. 他打电话说 他病了。