Autotelegraph

/ˌɔːtətɛlɪɡræf/ noun

Definition

A machine that can automatically send telegraph messages without needing an operator to manually transmit each signal.

Etymology

From auto- (self) + telegraph (device for sending electrical signals over wires). Coined in the late 1800s when telegraph technology was being automated.

Kelly Says

During the telegraph era, engineers were obsessed with automating everything—autotelegraphs were part of the industrial revolution's push to replace human labor with machines, making long-distance communication faster and cheaper.

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