Morse

/mɔːrs/ noun, adjective

Definition

A system of communication using dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers (Morse code); also an old word for a clasp or buckle.

Etymology

Named after Samuel Morse, the American inventor who developed the telegraph code in the 1830s-1840s. The older meaning 'clasp' comes from Latin 'morsus' (bite).

Kelly Says

Samuel Morse invented Morse code to send messages through telegraph wires—'SOS' is the famous distress signal. It's wild that before radio and phones, this simple dot-dash system could send messages across oceans and save lives!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.