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• phone
  phone

  noun

  telephone.
• -phone
  -phone

  a combining form meaning “speech sound” (homophone ), “an instrument of sound transmission or reproduction” (telephone ), “a musical instrument” (saxophone; xylophone ).

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)

phones, present (3rd person singular) phoned, past participle, past phoning present participle

1. to speak to or summon (a person) by telephone.

2. to send (a message) by telephone.

verb (used without object)

phones, present (3rd person singular) phoned, past participle, past phoning present participle

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

Derived Forms

• phonal
  adjective
• -phonic
  combining form

Inflected Forms

Participles

• phoning
  present
• phoned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• phone
  simple
• phones
  simple
• have phoned
  perfect
• has phoned
  perfect
• am phoning
  progressive
• are phoning
  progressive
• is phoning
  progressive
• have been phoning
  perfect progressive
• has been phoning
  perfect progressive

Past

• phoned
  simple
• had phoned
  perfect
• was phoning
  progressive
• were phoning
  progressive
• had been phoning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will phone
  simple
• will have phoned
  perfect
• will be phoning
  progressive
• will have been phoning
  perfect progressive

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

see origin at phone ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phone -phone phones phoned phoning

Texts displayed in court Monday show Burke continued to send messages to Hernandez’s phone hours after the Uber arrived, which, according to prosecutors, were an attempt to suggest she’d never arrived at his house.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

His security guard took the woman's phone away - a "standard practice" to protect their privacy, according to Barrientos.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Somehow, I found their phone number, and Julia, the matriarch, graciously agreed to my request for an interview.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

At another refuge in Villamanta, west of Madrid, Jose Luis, 81, looked at his phone screen.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

I jog back toward the gravel road, phone pressed to my ear, and as soon as I’m through the archway, the static fizzles away.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

How many non-computer or -phone devices can, in a pinch, be used for tweeting?

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2019

She said one pulled on the door handle and pounded on her window, while the other two approached and took their phones out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Platforms such as Snabbit, Pronto and Urban Company function much like ride-hailing apps -- workers receive bookings online, travel to assigned homes and clock in on their phones.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The shape suits how most people use phones, such as watching videos and browsing the web, says Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of devices at IDC.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

So why are Gen Z candidates making the choice to interview on their phones, and how much does it really hurt their chances of getting hired?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

“I wonder if phones are programmed to fling themselves into oncoming traffic to force you to upgrade.”

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Araghchi said in a social-media post that he phoned Russian and European Union leaders to say that Kyiv’s actions couldn’t go unanswered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

He phoned into CNN’s “State of the Union” and NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning to share his memories of Graham.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

But if these were mostly algorithmic trades to reduce his tax burden, does it mean Mr. Trump never phoned in a trade based on inside information?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

But then, in 2022, he phoned asking for help.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Increasingly alarmed that the situation was escalating out of control, the chief phoned the mayor-elect, even though Grabarek would not assume office until Monday.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Over the next two years they became firm friends, texting and phoning each other when they were not at work.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The TV documentary shows the 16-year-old's mother Karen phoning the police to report her missing.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

At a pivotal point in “The Christophers,” Lori explains how she can see that Julian was phoning it in during his later series of the titular paintings.

From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026

A birthday kid from Long Island phoning his father on one of the rotary phones in the lobby.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026

She’ll be phoning Mr. Frost's house over and over to find out when I’m going to get back.

From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial