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

It also relied on a transcript of a recording her ex had covertly made of the encounter on his mobile phone.

From BBC

"I phoned my mother saying: 'Johnny Depp kissed me', I didn't sleep that night."

From BBC

Ineos' raw materials are used in everything from packaging for toiletries, medicines and food, to mobile phones and furniture.

From BBC

There, he answered questions about the paper's use of private investigators to obtain information, and claimed there was no evidence of phone hacking.

From BBC

YouTube is selling "the ability to watch something essentially for free on your computer, on your phone, on your iPad," the attorney insisted, comparing the service to Netflix or traditional TV.

From Barron's

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial