telegraph

/ˌtɛləˈgræf/

/ˈtɛləgræf/

Other forms: telegraphed; telegraphs; telegraphing

Forget about the internet! Before even the telephone was invented, the telegraph — a device used to communicate via electronic signals — was the main mode of communicating long distance. We've come a long way!

The telegraph is an outdated form of communication as far as sending long-distance messages goes. It uses an electric signal broken to create a code that then transmits over a wire and translates into a message. Alexander Graham Bell started tinkering with the telegraph and ended up inventing the first "harmonic telegraph" to transmit sound through a wire — which led to the birth of the modern telephone.

Definitions of telegraph

1. noun

   apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
   synonyms: telegraphy

   type of:

   apparatus, setup

   equipment designed to serve a specific function
2. verb

   send cables, wires, or telegrams
   synonyms: cable, wire

   type of:

   telecommunicate

   communicate over long distances, as via the telephone or e-mail