telegraphic

English

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-der.

Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle)lbor.

French télé-

Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-

Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō

Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō)

Ancient Greek -γράφος (-gráphos)bor.

Latin -graphuslbor.

French -graphe

French télégraphebor.

English telegraph

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

Middle English -ik

English -ic

English telegraphic

From telegraph + -ic.

telegraphic (comparative more telegraphic, superlative most telegraphic)

Of, or relating to the telegraph.
- 1965, Chinua Achebe, Arrow of God, Penguin Classics (2010), page 182:
  It turned out to be no more than the weekly Reuter’s telegram sent as an ordinary letter from the nearest telegraphic office fifty miles away.
Brief or concise, especially resembling a telegram with clipped syntax.
- 1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 8:
  Her conversation, I soon found, was couched in the telegraphic style. “Weeds grow like house afire. Can’t keep even with ’em. Shall press you in. Better be careful.”
- 2021, David Golinkin, “What is the Origin and History of the Bar Mitzvah Ceremony”, in Anat Helman, editor, No Small Matter: Features of Jewish Childhood:
  This section is based on […] I am presenting the facts in a telegraphic fashion; for the sources, discussion and disagreements see the five scholars I listed.

of, or relating to the telegraph

brief or concise, resembling a telegram