1907年，指一种理论系统，通过电报或电话线路传输动态图像；在英语中形成或从法语借用 télévision；参见 tele- + vision。
Television is not impossible in theory. In practice it would be very costly without being capable of serious application. But we do not want that. On that day when it will be possible to accelerate our methods of telephotography by at least ten times, which does not appear to be impossible in the future, we shall arrive at television with a hundred telegraph wires. Then the problem of sight at a distance will without doubt cease to be a chimera. ["Telegraphing Pictures" in Windsor Magazine, vol. xxvi, June-November 1907]
理论上，电视并非不可能。在实践中，如果不能进行严肃的应用，它将非常昂贵。但我们不想要那样。在未来，当我们能够将摄影方法的速度至少加快十倍，这似乎并非不可能的那一天，我们将通过一百条电报线实现电视。那么，远距离视力的问题无疑将不再是一个幻想。[《温莎杂志》，第26卷，1907年6月至11月]
其他关于当时假设技术的名称提议有 telephote (1880) 和 televista (1904)。成功的技术在1920年代和1930年代开发。德语中本土化为 Fernsehen。缩短形式 TV 来自1948年； tee-vee 到1949年。意为“电视机”始于1941年。意为“电视作为媒介”始于1927年。对于其消费者，曾尝试 televiewer (1935) 和 televisioner (1928)。
Television is the first truly democratic culture — the first culture available to everyone and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want. [Clive Barnes, New York Times, Dec. 30, 1969]
电视是第一个真正民主的文化——第一个对每个人都可用的文化，完全由人民所需的东西所支配。最可怕的是人们真正想要的东西。[Clive Barnes, 《纽约时报》，1969年12月30日]
If you want to have fun come home with me
You can stay all night and play with my TV
TV is the thing this year, this year
TV is the thing this year
Radio was great, now it's out of date
TV is the thing this year.
[recorded by Dinah Washington, released 1953]
