TE

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

TE
Stands forTight end
Meanings2
CategoriesSports, Science & Engineering
Also writtenTe

TE has two meanings. It stands for Tight end (American football) or Tellurium (chemical element).

Meanings of TE at a glance

#TE stands forContext
1Tight endSports › American Football
2TelluriumScience & Engineering › Chemical Element

1. Tight end

Sports · American Football Abbreviations

Hybrid position that lines up next to an offensive tackle ("tight" to the line) and both blocks on running plays and catches passes. Versatile tight ends create mismatches because they are too big for most defensive backs and too fast for many linebackers.

Example: The Chiefs' TE led the team in catches for the fourth straight season.

Formations with two tight ends and one back are called "12 personnel". The position evolved from the old two-way end, and Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce helped turn it into a primary receiving role. "Move" tight ends often line up away from the formation like receivers.

2. Tellurium (Te)

Science & Engineering · Chemical Element Abbreviations

Among the rarest stable elements in Earth's crust, tellurium (element 52) is a brittle metalloid recovered as a by-product of copper refining. Cadmium telluride thin-film solar panels are its largest use; it also appears in thermoelectric coolers, rewritable optical discs and as an additive that makes steel and copper easier to machine.

Example: Thin-film modules use a cadmium telluride absorber, so Te output from copper refineries is closely watched.

Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein discovered it in 1782 in gold ore from Transylvania; Martin Heinrich Klaproth named it in 1798 from Latin tellus (earth). People exposed to even small amounts develop "tellurium breath," a strong garlic odor caused by dimethyl telluride. Tellurium is one of the few elements that combine with gold in natural minerals.

More American football abbreviations

  • SB – Super Bowl
  • SS – Strong safety
  • ST – Special teams
  • TD – Touchdown
  • TFL – Tackle for loss
  • TKL – Tackles
  • TOP – Time of possession
  • UFA – Unrestricted free agent

See all 80 American football abbreviations →

More chemical element abbreviations

  • Sr – Strontium
  • Ta – Tantalum
  • Tb – Terbium
  • Tc – Technetium
  • Th – Thorium
  • Ti – Titanium
  • Tl – Thallium
  • Tm – Thulium

See all 118 chemical element abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.