telemetry
tuh-LEM-uh-tree
/təˈlɛmɪtri/
The process of recording and transmitting the readings of an instrument and transmitting them to receiving equipment.
In racing, this is the data sent from the car to the pits in real-time (tire pressure, engine temp, etc.).
The story behind the word. Coined in the 19th century from the Greek 'tele' (far off) and 'metron' (measure). It literally means 'measuring from a distance.'
Word relationships
- data transmission: Telemetry is a specific type of data transmission for remote measurement.
Commonly confused with
- analytics: Analytics is the study of the data; telemetry is the process of getting the data.
Word family
- telemetric (adjective): Relating to telemetry.
Collocations
- real-time telemetry
- telemetry data
- onboard telemetry
Example sentences
- "The telemetry shows a slight drop in oil pressure in sector two." Pit wall conversation
- "Modern telemetry allows engineers to diagnose a car's problems from thousands of miles away." Tech article
Memory hook
Tele (Far) + Meter (Measure). Measure from afar.
When not to use
Don't use it for simple video recording; it implies numerical data.
Fun facts
- Telemetry was originally developed for monitoring weather balloons and later used extensively in the space race.
Explore more words
telematics, remote, Transmit, observation, transmission, telecommute
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