3G

American

abbreviation

Telecommunications, Digital Technology.

third-generation: being or relating to a mobile device or communications technology that is more advanced than the earlier two versions, using high-speed broadband to support internet access and multimedia applications.

3G tablets and e-readers.

3G British

abbreviation

third-generation; a system for mobile phones allowing fast connection, internet access, digital photography, graphics transmission and display, and other advanced features

"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

Etymology

Origin of 3G

First recorded in 1995–2000

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.

See Examples For:

More than a decade ago, a shareholder in the railroad operator CSX brought a case to recover short-swing profits earned by hedge-fund manager Chris Hohn’s TCI Fund Management and 3G Capital Partners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Hayes said the high coupon for the Skechers paper resulted from a “first-time issuer tax” as investors became familiar with the 3G deal.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026

Buffett helped engineer the merger of Kraft and Heinz. 3G has exited what once was a sizable stake in Kraft Heinz.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

McClelland said the 4G and 5G networks "have had a shot in the arm" to make the 3G network switch-off work.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

This wasn’t a padded contour chair under a mild 3G lift.

From Far from Home by Taylor, J.A.

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