PsychologyJuly 14, 2026

telecommunicator

/ˌtɛlɪkəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtər/

Definition

A professional, specifically an emergency 911 dispatcher or call taker, responsible for receiving and coordinating emergency responses over phone or radio lines.

Etymology

The word is formed from the prefix 'tele-' (meaning 'at a distance') combined with 'communicator,' which derives from the Latin 'communicare' (to share or make common). It evolved to describe modern professionals who use technology to exchange critical information over long distances.

In the news

In this article, the term is used to describe the essential public safety workers who handle high-stress, life-or-death crises. The study focuses on how these individuals' word choices in their incident reports can signal risks for anxiety and depression.

Word choice linked to depression and anxiety symptoms in 911 dispatchers

Read the full article ↗

Medical Xpress

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