answering machine

noun

1. an electronic device that is attached to a telephone and that automatically answers callers with a prerecorded message and records their messages for later playback.

answering machine

noun

1. a device by means of which a telephone call is answered automatically and the caller enabled to leave a recorded message In fulltelephone answering machine Also calledanswerphone

Word History and Origins

Origin of answering machine¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

They pass the buck, they tell you to call this person, and you are lucky if you can even get an answering machine.

From The Daily Beast

He is presently being held on $1 million bail, which gives a twist to the message on the phone answering machine at his firm.

From The Daily Beast

Basically, the answer we came up with was that it must be something like breaking into mobile answering machine messages.

From The Daily Beast

But soon the lonely Chip begins stalking him, leaving tons of messages on his answering machine.

From The Daily Beast

Their tryst, however, is broken up several times by messages playing from the answering machine and never comes to fruition.

From The Daily Beast