4G

American

abbreviation

Telecommunications, Digital Technology.

fourth-generation: being or relating to communications technology or a mobile device that supports much faster data-transfer speeds than previous versions.

4G smartphones.

4G British

abbreviation

fourth generation: a stage in mobile phone technology when data can be provided more quickly and on broader bandwidths than previously

"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 4G

First recorded in 2005–10

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.

A spokesperson for O2 said the changes come following an agreement with the government in 2021, and added 4G and 5G networks are "faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient" than their predecessors.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

Vodafone said in a statement it was aware of a "major issue on our network affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services".

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2025

There are about 87 million mobile phones in the UK and the goverment says about 95% of the population has 4G or 5G access.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

The alert will be sent to all smartphones on the UK's 4G and 5G networks, even if they are not connected to mobile data or wi-fi.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

Figure 4G is about fifty-five sections caudad to the preceding figure, and passes through the middle region of the heart, ht.

From Development of the Digestive Canal of the American Alligator by Reese, C. M.

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