Telephoto
/ˌtɛlɪˈfoʊtoʊ/noun
A photographic lens or optical system that gives a long-focus effect with a relatively short physical length.
Did you know?Telephoto was coined in the late 19th century as a technical term from Greek roots, showing how modern optics often wear ancient language like a spell.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
tēle
“far, at a distance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
phōs / phōt-
“light”
19th Century
English
telephoto
“a long-focus photographic lens or optical arrangement”
Modern English
English
telephoto
“a lens or image made with a long focal length, often for distant subjects”
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