術語前綴tele-來自希臘副詞tele，原意為afar (遙遠地）。1792年，它作為前綴首次出現(xiàn)在新詞telegraph (電報）中，此后，許多帶有tele的新詞產(chǎn)生了。tele-開始時只能與希臘詞根結合，表示afar (遠距離地），operating over a distance (遠距離操作） 等意思。隨著現(xiàn)代科技的發(fā)展，它也可以與單詞結合，主要表示 having to do with television，telegraph，telecommunication (電視的，電報的，電信的）等意思。tele-有個異體tel-，它只出現(xiàn)在極少數(shù)單詞中，實際用處不大。

下面我們先介紹原生詞綴tele-與詞根結合的幾個例子。

telegraph [ tele- = operating over a distance 遠距離操作的；graph=writer 書寫器=>“a writer operating over a distance 遠距離操作的書寫器”→]I n . an apparatus for sending message to a distance by electricity 電報機 / Telegraph was invented by Chappe. 電報機是查普發(fā)明的。II v. send (a message) by telegraph 用電報發(fā)送（信息等）/ Mother telegraphed that she would arrive home by afternoon plane. 母親打電報說，她將乘下午班機回家。

telegraphic a. 電報的

telegraphy n. 電報學；電報術

telegram n. 電報

telepathy [ tele- = afar 遙遠地；pathy = feeling 感覺“feeling of one mind afar 對遠方心靈的感覺”n . communication from mind to mind without aid of the senses 心靈感應，傳心術 / He know what I was imaging by guess, not by telepathy. 他是靠猜測知道我所想像的內(nèi)容，不是靠心靈感應。

telepathic a. 心靈感應的

telephone [ tele- = operating over a distance 遠距離操作的；phon =sound 聲音；-e=>“sound being sent to a distance 送到遠方的 聲音”→]I n. an apparatus for sending sound to a distance by electricity 電話機 / You can find a public telephone at the corner of the street. 你在街道拐彎處會看到一架公用電話。II v. talk by telephone 打電話 / He telephoned that he was ill. 他打電話說 他病了。