Telephone Pole
/ˈtɛl.ɪ.foʊn poʊl/noun
A tall pole used to support overhead telephone wires.
Did you know?The word telephone combines Greek roots for “far” and “sound,” while pole comes from Latin palus, meaning a stake or supporting post.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tel-
“At a distance; far away”
Ancient Greek
Greek
tēlephōnos
“Far-sounding; producing sound at a distance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
pā́los
“A stake or post, the source of later Latin palus”
17th Century
English
telephone
“An instrument or system for transmitting sound over distance; the term was formed from Greek elements”
19th Century
English
pole
“A long upright post, from Latin palus through Old English and French forms”
Late 19th Century
English
telephone pole
“A pole supporting overhead telephone wires, emerging with the expansion of telephone networks”