English

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Etymology

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From farspeak-er. Compare German Fernsprecher (telephone).

Noun

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farspeaker (plural farspeakers)

  1. (puristic) Telephone.
  2. (science fiction, fantasy) One who farspeaks.
    • 1987, Mercedes Lackey, Arrow's flight:
      "I wish I wasn't so messed up; I wish I was bigger and stronger. Or a Farspeaker like Kyril,” she replied in a very small voice. “You can't help what happened. As for being a Farspeaker, I don't think both of us together could reach someone with the Gift to hear us, and if we could, I don't know that it would do any good," he sighed.
  3. (science fiction) A device or apparatus used to farspeak or communicate over long distances.
    • 1948, New Statesman: the week-end review:
      Ecgbert picked up the farspeaker eagerly. "Frideswide darling! I have been wating to hear from you all the morning. [] "
    • 1984, John Brunner, The Crucible of Time:
      "Let's find out whether I do or not," said Yull imperturbably, and activated the farspeaker to maximum volume. At one a voice rang out, impersonal, repetitive: the sound of a recordimal.
    • 2009, Nick Gevers, Jay Lake, Other Earths:
      “Sir, we found him in the farspeaker room,” said one of the guards. “He was tampering with the equipment."
    • 2011, James Rollins, Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx:
      She held it out toward him. It was the size of a chicken egg, only broken in half. The other half of the crystal—carried by another—would vibrate in tune with its twin, allowing communication, like a walkie-talkie. “A farspeaker! Pindor gasped out. "Why didn't you tell us you had one!" "I did. Back when I first ran into you all," she reminded them. "I had been calling Papa on my farspeaker when I was snatched here."