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Origin and history of teleportation

teleportation(n.)

1931 as a term in psychics; by 1951 in science fiction; from tele- + ending of transportation. Apparently coined by Charles Fort (1874-1932).

also from 1931

Entries linking to teleportation

transportation(n.)

1530s, "act of conveying from one place to another," noun of action from transport (v.). In the sense of "means of conveyance" it is recorded by 1853. As "removal or banishment for a specific term," 1660s. Middle English used verbal noun transporting (early 15c.) for "act of conveying." Transportage is attested from 1560s; transportment from 1610s.

tele-

before vowels properly tel-, word-forming element of Greek origin meaning "far, far off, operating over distance," from Greek tēle "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).

The element also could mean "telegraph" by mid-19c. (teleprinter); "telephone" by late 19c. (telecopier), "television" by 1928 (tele-talkie, "motion picture broadcast by television"); and "by electronic means" by 1981 (teleshopping, originally hypothetical).

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    transport
    late 14c., transporten, "convey from one place to another," from Old French transporter "carry or convey across; overwhelm (emotionally)" (14c.) or directly from Latin transportare "carry over, take across, convey, remove," from trans "beyond, across" (see trans-) + portare "to c
    experiment
    mid-14c., "action of observing or testing; an observation, test, or trial;" also "piece of evidence or empirical proof; feat of magic or sorcery," from Old French esperment "practical knowledge, cunning; enchantment, magic spell; trial, proof, example; lesson, sign, indication,"
    matter
    c. 1200, materie, "the subject of a mental act or a course of thought, speech, or expression," from Anglo-French matere, Old French matere "subject, theme, topic; substance, content; character, education" (12c., Modern French matière) and directly from Latin materia "substance fr
    believe
    Middle English bileven, from Old English belyfan "to have faith or confidence" (in a person), earlier geleafa (Mercian), gelefa (Northumbrian), gelyfan (West Saxon), from Proto-Germanic *ga-laubjan "to believe," perhaps literally "hold dear (or valuable, or satisfactory), to love
    prowess
    early 13c., prouesse, "an act of bravery;" c. 1300, "military bravery combined with skill in combat," from Old French proece "prowess, courage, brave deed" (Modern French prouesse), from prou, later variant of prud "brave, valiant," from Vulgar Latin *prodem (source also of Spani
    February
    month following January, late 14c., ultimately from Latin februarius mensis "month of purification," from februare "to purify," from februa "purifications, expiatory rites" (plural of februum "means of purification, expiatory offerings"), which is of uncertain origin, said to be
    Prometheus
    in Greek mythology, a demigod (son of the Titan Iapetus) who made man from clay and stole fire from heaven and taught mankind its use, for which he was punished by Zeus by being chained to a rock in the Caucasus, where a vulture came every day and preyed on his liver. The name is
    decide
    late 14c., "to settle a dispute, determine a controversy," from Old French decider, from Latin decidere "to decide, determine," literally "to cut off," from de "off" (see de-) + caedere "to cut" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike"). For Latin vowel change, see acquisition. Sense
    mercurial
    late 14c., "pertaining to or under the influence of the planet Mercury," from Latin Mercurialis, from Mercurius (see Mercury). Meaning "pertaining to the god Mercury, having the form or qualities attributed to Mercury" (in reference to his role as god of trade or as herald and gu
    resent
    c. 1600, "feel pain or distress" (a sense now obsolete); 1620s, "take (something) ill, consider as an injury or affront; be in some degree angry or provoked at," from French ressentir "feel pain, regret," from Old French resentir "feel again, feel in turn" (13c.), from re-, here

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