What does "telescope" mean?
A monocular optical instrument that magnifies distant objects, especially in astronomy.
Telescope
/ˈtɛl.əˌskoʊp/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A monocular optical instrument that magnifies distant objects, especially in astronomy.
- Grammar: telescope is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abbreviate, abridge, abstract, astronomical observatory.
- Useful contrasts: extend, ignore, lengthen.
- Usage evidence: We can see distant objects with a telescope.
How to use "telescope"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "telescope" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "telescope" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "telescope" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "telescope" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbreviate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "telescope", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A monocular optical instrument that magnifies distant objects, especially in astronomy.
"It needs a scientific telescope, it needs to be reinterpreted and artificially brought near us, before we can so much as know that it was a Sun."
- 2 a magnifier of images of distant objects wordnet
- 3 Any instrument used in astronomy for observing distant objects (such as a radio telescope).
- 4 A retractable tubular support for lights.
"In some studios the telescopes are fixed to the lighting grid […]"
- 5 A kind of goldfish with protruding eyes, first bred in China.
"Chinese Telescopes are sold by some dealers for young Japanese Fringetails. For this reason it is well to select a reliable dealer when purchasing choice stock."
Verb
- 1 To extend or contract in the manner of a telescope. ambitransitive
"Hugo rose to his full height, which was triple that of Grunt Buggely’s, even without his neck telescoped."
- 2 make smaller or shorter wordnet
- 3 To slide or pass one within another, after the manner of the sections of a small telescope or spyglass. ambitransitive
- 4 crush together or collapse wordnet
- 5 To come into collision, as railway cars, in such a manner that one runs into another. intransitive
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To collapse, via cancellation. ambitransitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We can see distant objects with a telescope."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "telescope"?
Common synonyms include: abbreviate, abridge, abstract, astronomical observatory, astronomical telescope, binoculars.
How do you use "telescope" in a sentence?
We can see distant objects with a telescope.
How do you pronounce "telescope"?
Pronounced /ˈtɛl.əˌskoʊp/.
Etymology
From tele- + -scope. From Latin tēlescopium, from Ancient Greek τηλεσκόπος (tēleskópos, “far-seeing”), from τῆλε (têle, “afar”) + σκοπέω (skopéō, “I look at”). Coined in 1611 by the Greek mathematician Giovanni Demisiani for one of Galileo Galilei's instruments presented at a banquet at the Accademia dei Lincei. Doublet of Telescopium.