911

American  

[nahyn-wuhn-wuhn, nahyn-i-lev-uhn] / ˈnaɪnˌwʌnˈwʌn, ˈnaɪn ɪˈlɛv ən /

1. (in the United States and Canada) the telephone number used to reach emergency medical, fire, and police services.

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Etymology

Origin of 911

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

911

Athena’s attorney, Matthew Davis, said she was never abusive and that she called 911 as soon as she cut him down, then spent 10 minutes following a dispatcher’s CPR instructions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Rimac immediately contacted police, used the car's telemetry system to track its location as it travelled towards Slovenia and set off in his Porsche 911 in hot pursuit.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Many of the city’s fire stations were built in the 1950s, and there’s been a tenfold increase in 911 call volume since, Augustin said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

According to the mayor, Gonzalez had made a 911 call Saturday requesting de-escalation support from police after he saw a group of unmarked vehicles and a crowd gathering in his neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Hers was the British accent on the 911 tape.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

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