Phone Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms phone 1 American [fohn] / foʊn /

noun

1. telephone.

2. a portable electronic telephone device, as a cell phone, mobile phone, or smartphone.

verb (used with object)

phoned, phoning

1. to speak to or summon (a person) by telephone.

2. to send (a message) by telephone.

verb (used without object)

phoned, phoning

1. to send a message by telephone.

phone 2 American [fohn] / foʊn /

noun

Phonetics.

1. a speech sound.

   There are three phonetically different “t” phones in an utterance of “titillate,” and two in an utterance of “tattletale.”

-phone 3 American

1. a combining form meaning “speech sound” (homophone ), “an instrument of sound transmission or reproduction” (telephone ), “a musical instrument” (saxophone; xylophone ).

-phone 1 British

combining form

1. (forming nouns) indicating voice, sound, or a device giving off sound

   microphone

   telephone

2. (forming nouns and adjectives) (a person) speaking a particular language

   Francophone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 phone 2 British / fəʊn /

noun

1. short for telephone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 phone 3 British / fəʊn /

noun

1. phonetics a single uncomplicated speech sound

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• -phonic combining form
• phonal adjective

Etymology

Origin of phone1

First recorded in 1880–85; by shortening

Origin of phone2

First recorded in 1865–70, phone is from the Greek word phōnḗ voice

Origin of -phone3

phone 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"And the woman on the phone was awesome. She was like, 'how can the brick industry help?'"

From BBC

When Duvall was checking out Southern churches as he researched “The Apostle,” which he wrote, directed and starred in, the two were frequently in touch on the phone.

From Los Angeles Times

Jurors were told previously that at 16:52 on 16 February, Low's phone activity had stopped.

From BBC

When he wasn’t there, we were phoning every day.

From Los Angeles Times

"All these theatres were inundated with emails and phone calls and people showing up physically," he recalls.

From BBC

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.