Standard Lemma guide

telescopic

adj · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /tɛlɪˈskɒpɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒpɪk
  • CMU ARPABET: T EH2 L AH0 S K AO1 P IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to, or carried out by means of, a telescope.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Seen by means of a telescope; only visible through a telescope.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

Examples

  • telescopic stars

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Capable of seeing distant objects; far-seeing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Able to be extended or retracted by the use of parts that slide over one another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • telescopic baton

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: telescopable, telescoping

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Referring to parts being extended or retracted along coinciding axes (with or without direct contact between the parts).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

having parts that slide one within another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a telescopic antenna
  • a telescopic drinking cup

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

capable of discerning distant objects

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a telescopic eye
  • telescopic vision

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

visible only with a telescope

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bright star with a telescopic companion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kwelh1-der. Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle)lbor. English tele- Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Hellenic *sképťomai Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai) Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Hellenic *-ós ▲ Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ. Ancient Greek -ός (-ós) Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós) Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-eyéti Proto-Indo-European *-esyéti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1yeti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Ancient Greek -έω (-éō) Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō)der. English -scope Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -scopic English telescopic From tele- + -scopic, after telescope.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: telescópicu — of or relating to a telescope
  • Belarusian: тэлескапі́чны (teljeskapíčny) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Bulgarian: телескопичен (teleskopičen) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Catalan: telescòpic — of or relating to a telescope
  • Finnish: teleskooppi- — of or relating to a telescope
  • French: télescopique — of or relating to a telescope
  • Galician: telescópico — of or relating to a telescope
  • Greek: τηλεσκοπικός (tileskopikós) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Italian: telescopico — of or relating to a telescope
  • Macedonian: телескопски (teleskopski) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Polish: teleskopowy — of or relating to a telescope
  • Portuguese: telescópico — of or relating to a telescope
  • Romanian: telescopic — of or relating to a telescope
  • Russian: телескопи́ческий (teleskopíčeskij) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Spanish: telescópico — of or relating to a telescope
  • Ukrainian: телескопі́чний (teleskopíčnyj) — of or relating to a telescope
  • Volapük: daleskopik — of or relating to a telescope
  • Bulgarian: телескопичен (teleskopičen) — extended/retracted with sliding parts
  • Bulgarian: телескопичен (teleskopičen) — parts extended/retracted along coinciding axes