Science & TechnologyGreek → English
Telescope
An instrument for observing distant objects.
The Greek roots
τῆλε
tēle
far off
σκοπεῖν
skopeîn
to look at
Literally: “far-looker”
The story of the word
Coined to name the device that lets us 'look far' — pairing the tēle of telephone with the skopeîn of microscope.
The same roots elsewhere
Other languages reached for exactly the same Greek pieces.
In a sentence
Through the telescope the rings of Saturn were unmistakable.