tele·pho·to
ˌte-lə-ˈfō-(ˌ)tō 
: 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
plural telephotos
1
: a telephoto lens
2
: a photograph taken with a camera having a telephoto lens
—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
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Both versions get 12 GB of RAM, dual 50-megapixel rear cameras (the second one is a telephoto), a 32-megapixel front cam, and a 4-inch AMOLED display.
—New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
One February dawn in the 1990s, Murphy skipped breakfast, grabbed his telephoto lens and headed to the Upper Geyser Basin near Old Faithful.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Mar. 2026
That system demonstrated that clusters of telephoto lenses can detect extremely faint cosmic structures that conventional telescopes often miss.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telephoto
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
This model is also the brand’s most durable yet, boasting an extreme IP69 rating for water and dust resistance, paired with a versatile triple 50MP camera system that captures professional-grade detail across wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto shots.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Both versions get 12 GB of RAM, dual 50-megapixel rear cameras (the second one is a telephoto), a 32-megapixel front cam, and a 4-inch AMOLED display.
—New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
One February dawn in the 1990s, Murphy skipped breakfast, grabbed his telephoto lens and headed to the Upper Geyser Basin near Old Faithful.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Mar. 2026
That system demonstrated that clusters of telephoto lenses can detect extremely faint cosmic structures that conventional telescopes often miss.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telephoto
Cite this Entry
“Telephoto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telephoto. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
