telephone
v.
1878, from telephone, n.. Related: Telephoned; telephoning.
n.
1835, "system for conveying words over distance by musical notes" (devised in 1828 by French composer Jean-François Sudré (1787-1862); each tone played over several octaves represented a letter of the alphabet), from French téléphone (c.1830), from télé- "far" (see tele-) + phone "sound" (see fame, n.). Sudré's system never proved practical. Also used of other apparatus early 19c., including "instrument similar to a foghorn for signaling from ship to ship" (1844). The electrical communication tool was first described in modern form by Philip Reis (1861); developed by Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), and so called by him from 1876.
〔李〕[tele-=operating over a distance远距离操作的；phon=sound声音；-e⇒“sound being sent to a distance送到远方的声音”→] Ⅰ n.an apparatus for sending sound to a distance by electricity电话机
〔李〕n. 电话机 [tele =far off] ←-phone [GK] =an instrument for better sound表示“助声器械”
〔蒋〕[tele远，phon声音;’由远处(通过电波)传来的声音”] 电话
〔蒋〕[tele远，phon声音;’由远处通过电波传来的声音”] 电话