Telecom

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtɛlə(ˌ)kɒm/

Definitions

1. A domain concerned with the exchange of information through electronic means, including voice and data services, as well as broadcasting technologies
2. A sector focused on the transmission of information via electronic devices, which encompasses voice communications, data transfer, and various broadcasting methods
3. An industry dedicated to facilitating communication over distances using electronic systems, involving both data services and telephony along with broadcasting

Etymology: "Telecom" is a clipping of "telecommunications," a word built from Greek "tele," meaning "far off," and the Latin-derived "communication," meaning the sharing or exchange of information. The shortened form is a practical trim: a long, multi-syllable word for a broad sector was cut down to something easy to say and fit into a headline or a company name. The clipping has a second source as well. The word also comes from an abbreviation of "telephone company," so the short form is shaped by two routes at once: it names the wider field of distant communication and, in everyday use, often refers to the businesses that run the networks.

Synonyms: telecommunications