phone

¹ American  

[fohn] / foʊn /

noun

1. telephone.

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

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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.”

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-phone ³ American  

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

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-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

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phone ² British  

/ fəʊn /

noun

1. short for telephone

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phone ³ British  

/ fəʊn /

noun

1. phonetics a single uncomplicated speech sound

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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

The data breach primarily involved patients' names, phone numbers, and postal addresses, but for 169,000 patients there were doctors' notes "some of which may be sensitive data", the ministry said.

From Barron's

I was fiddling with my phone during both expressions of loyalty, nervous that I wouldn’t get an intelligible recording of Mr. Paxton’s remarks.

From The Wall Street Journal

He only learned it had been aired on TV when he saw his phone around 03:00 GMT, including messages from the US as the news reached it.

From BBC

They help with paperwork, phone calls and document tracking.

From MarketWatch

Jessica was carrying her mobile phone when she left the barbecue with Holly - and the device proved crucial to investigators.

From BBC

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial