How to pronounce telescope
Say it like TEL-uh-skohp. Telescope has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce telescope. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TEL
- uh
- skohp
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Telescope pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- skohpGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of telescope
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: TEL-ih-skohp.
What does telescope mean?
- crush together or collapse“In the accident, the cars telescoped”“my hiking sticks telescope and can be put into the backpack”
- make smaller or shorter“the novel was telescoped into a short play”
- a magnifier of images of distant objects
Where does telescope come from?
Coined in 1611 by the Greek mathematician Giovanni Demisiani for one of Galileo Galilei's instruments presented at a banquet at the Accademia dei Lincei.
Questions about saying telescope
How do you pronounce telescope?
Say TEL-uh-skohp. The American pronunciation is /ˈtɛləˌskoʊp/. In British English it is /ˈtɛlɪˌskəʊp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in telescope?
Telescope has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TEL). Broken into parts: TEL · uh · skohp.
Is telescope pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈtɛlɪˌskəʊp/ (TEL-ih-skohp).