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telegraphese

American

[tel-i-gra-feez, -fees, tel-i-gra-feez, -fees] / ˈtɛl ɪ græˌfiz, -ˌfis, ˌtɛl ɪ græˈfiz, -ˈfis /

noun

a style of writing or speaking distinguished by the omissions, abbreviations, and combinations that are characteristic of telegrams, as in “ expect arrive six evening. ”

Etymology

Origin of telegraphese

First recorded in 1880–85; telegraph + -ese

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Today "telegraphese" - saying as much as possible in the fewest number of words - has a new home in the Twittersphere.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2013

Entitled Autobiography, the gaudy billboard includes a life history in telegraphese, his horoscope, and a skeletal portrait of himself composed from 13 X rays.

From Time Magazine Archive

Another colleague rewrote the paper in telegraphese, leaving out most adjectives, inserting the word 'stop' for periods.

From Time Magazine Archive

Much of the novel's lunatic telegraphese was pure reportage.

From Time Magazine Archive

As Napier did not instantly respond, Macray went on in his gloomy telegraphese, "Suspicious boom since Schwarz's reappearance."

From The Messenger by Robins, Elizabeth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023