telephoto

1 of 3

adjective

tele·​pho·​to ˌte-lə-ˈfō-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce telephoto (audio)
Synonyms of telephotonext
: being a camera lens system designed to give a large image of a distant object
also : relating to or being photography in which a telephoto lens is used

telephoto

2 of 3

noun

plural telephotos
1
: a telephoto lens
2
: a photograph taken with a camera having a telephoto lens

Telephoto

3 of 3

trademark

—used for an apparatus for transmitting photographs electrically or for a photograph so transmitted

Examples of telephoto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
With the 11 Pro Fold offering a telephoto sensor and better selfie cameras across the board, Google gets the win for now. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 16 Aug. 2026 Its upgraded telephoto camera can reach up to 120 times Pro Zoom. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Instead of using a mirror to gather starlight, MOTHRA has many telephoto lenses, like those on a camera, which can capture faintly glowing wisps of gas and other feeble emanations across a wider field of view. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 So far, the lack of a telephoto camera and the reduced number of battery cycles the silicon-carbon cell can handle are acceptable trade-offs. — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for telephoto

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1893, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of telephoto was in 1893

Phrases Containing telephoto

Rhymes for telephoto

See All Rhymes for telephoto

Browse Nearby Words

telephony
telephoto
Telephoto
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Cite this Entry

“Telephoto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telephoto. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

telephoto

adjective
tele·​pho·​to
ˌtel-ə-ˈfōt-ō
: being a camera lens designed to give a large image of a distant object

More from Merriam-Webster on telephoto

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