Telecoil
Pronunciation: TEL-ee-koyl
Also written as: T-coil
A small electromagnetic induction coil built into some hearing aids and cochlear implant processors that allows the device to receive audio signals directly from compatible induction loop systems or telephones.
Full Definition
The telecoil, commonly abbreviated as T-coil, is a miniature wire-wound coil housed within a hearing instrument that functions as a receiver for electromagnetic signals. When activated (usually by switching the device to 'T' mode), the telecoil bypasses the device's microphone and picks up the electromagnetic field generated by a telephone handset or hearing loop system, delivering a cleaner, less noisy signal. Telecoils represent a foundational technology for assistive listening access. In editorial contexts, the abbreviation 'T-coil' is standard; 'telecoil' is written as one unhyphenated word. Editors should be aware that not all modern hearing aids include a telecoil, particularly very small or receiver-in-canal (RIC) models, and this distinction is clinically significant.
Usage
Usage note: Write as one word: 'telecoil.' The abbreviation 'T-coil' uses a capital T and a hyphen. Do not render as 'tele-coil' or 'telecoil (T)' — the parenthetical is unnecessary in technical documents where the term has been defined.
In Context
- "The report noted that the behind-the-ear model was selected specifically because it incorporated a telecoil, unlike the patient's previous in-the-canal device." — Hearing aid selection report
- "Editors should render the abbreviation consistently as 'T-coil' with a capital T and hyphen throughout the document." — Editorial style guide note