before vowels tel-, word-forming element meaning "far, far off, operating over distance" (also, since c. 1940, "television"), from Greek tele "far off, afar, at or to a distance," related to teleos (genitive telos) "end, goal, completion, result," from PIE root *kwel- (2) "far" in space or time.
Tejano
*teks-
tektite
Telamon
telangiectasia
tele-
telecast
telecom
telecommunication
telecommute
telecommuting