Here are some possibilities:
* "Tele": This prefix means "distant" or "far off" and is commonly used in words like "telephone," "television," and "telegraph."
* "Tell": This is a verb meaning to relate or communicate information. It's possible you're thinking of a word that uses "tell" as a part of its root.
* "Tel": This might be a misspelling of another word.
* Specific context: It's possible you encountered "tel" in a specific context, like a scientific term or a foreign language.
Please provide more information about where you encountered the word "tel" so I can help you understand its meaning.