Meaning & use

telethon

noun·Academic

A long television broadcast, often lasting many hours, organized to raise money for a charitable cause.

See it in a sentence

The annual telethon raised millions of dollars for children's hospitals.

Celebrities took turns answering phones during the live telethon.

A note on using this word

Blends "television" and "marathon," reflecting both its medium and its unusually long length.

Words with a similar meaning

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