teleplasm: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely Rare / ObsoleteHistorical / Technical (Parapsychology)
Quick answer
What does “teleplasm” mean?
A supposed immaterial, ectoplasmic substance said to emanate from a spiritualist medium during a séance, through which spirits manifest.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A supposed immaterial, ectoplasmic substance said to emanate from a spiritualist medium during a séance, through which spirits manifest.
In historical parapsychology and spiritualist literature, the physical materialization or visible emanation believed to be the subtle substance of spirits, capable of forming temporary limbs, faces, or entire figures. The term is specific to 19th and early 20th-century occult and psychic research.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term originated in and was predominantly used by British and European psychic researchers.
Connotations
Historical, pseudoscientific, associated with the Victorian and Edwardian era of séances and spirit photography.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, but marginally more documented in British texts due to the strong historical spiritualist movement in the UK.
Grammar
How to Use “teleplasm” in a Sentence
The medium produced teleplasm.Researchers examined the purported teleplasm.Teleplasm was said to emanate from the medium's body.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “teleplasm” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The teleplasmic manifestation was captured in a grainy photograph.
- He studied teleplasmic phenomena.
American English
- The teleplasmic material seemed to glow faintly.
- Her report detailed alleged teleplasmic activity.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical studies of religion, psychology, or the occult.
Everyday
Virtually unknown; if used, it is with historical or skeptical reference.
Technical
Specific to historical parapsychology texts; obsolete in modern science.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “teleplasm”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “teleplasm”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “teleplasm”
- Misspelling as 'teleplast' or 'telephasm'. Using it as a synonym for modern digital or holographic projections.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, teleplasm is not recognized as a real substance by modern science. It is a concept from historical spiritualism and parapsychology, widely considered to be based on fraud, illusion, or misidentified natural phenomena.
The terms are often used interchangeably in spiritualist literature. 'Ectoplasm' is the more common term, while 'teleplasm' is a more specific, scholarly-sounding variant from early psychic research, sometimes implying it is the substance *through which* ('tele-') a spirit operates.
Only in a historical, academic, or deliberately archaic sense. Using it seriously in a contemporary scientific or everyday conversation would be misleading, as the concept has been thoroughly debunked.
Dictionaries document the historical use of language. 'Teleplasm' appears in historical texts, scholarly analyses of the occult, and reports on famous mediums, so it is recorded as part of the English lexicon, even if it describes a discredited concept.
A supposed immaterial, ectoplasmic substance said to emanate from a spiritualist medium during a séance, through which spirits manifest.
Teleplasm is usually historical / technical (parapsychology) in register.
Teleplasm: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtɛlɪplæz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtɛləˌplæzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TELEphone' for distance/communication + 'PLASM' for substance. A substance for communicating (with spirits) from a distance.
Conceptual Metaphor
Spirit as a physical substance; the intangible made tangible.
Practice
Quiz
In what context would you most likely encounter the word 'teleplasm'?