Telecontrolled

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Operated from a distance by means of radio or electronic signals sent from a separate control unit
2. Controlled at a distance through transmitted commands rather than by someone physically present at the machine
3. Run remotely using signals or wireless commands so that the device needs no direct human handling on site

Etymology: "Telecontrolled" is the past tense and past participle of "telecontrol," which is formed from the prefix "tele-" and the word "control." The prefix comes from Greek "tēle," meaning "far" or "at a distance," and it appears in many modern coinages such as "telephone" and "telescope." Pairing it with "control" gives a plain description of steering a machine from afar. Because the verb is built from familiar parts, its meaning is transparent: to operate something remotely. The past forms follow the regular pattern of English verbs, so "telecontrolled" describes a device that was operated from a distance at some earlier time, such as a drone or a switch that was run by a signal sent from elsewhere.

Synonyms: remote-controlled, radio-controlled

Antonyms: autonomous