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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

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phone -phone phones phoned phoning

I came of age professionally when people still primarily gathered in person or spoke by phone, all in real time, whereas Caroline grew up often staying in touch with people through the internet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Federal agents seized her phone and passport and searched her residence as part of an investigation into allegations dating back to her childhood.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

After they met through work, there were too many flowers, too many phone calls, too much interest in where she was.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

“Be cautious of unexpected emails, phone calls, or text messages” related to the incident, including claims that the caller is from ETS or the state or a credit monitoring company, officials also warned.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

I perch on the stool, finally remembering I’m still holding my phone.

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

One morning, I joined a small congregation of commuters attempting to convince the turnstiles that our phones were, in fact, perfectly legitimate fare payment.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

Troops in Stupnikov’s battalion were instructed to surrender their phones for inspection.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

WattTime, an environmental tech nonprofit, helps companies time their electric vehicles, phones or other devices to periods when the energy is coming from cleaner power sources.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Along with the robot, police seized two mobile phones belonging to the suspects.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

When that didn’t turn up the leaker, the FBI tapped the phones of several journalists.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Ortiz said she phoned Lisinski Law for help to fight the removal proceedings, which the firm declined.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

To say that there’s an interesting ethical conflict at work in “Animals”—an imprecise title—is not to say that the performances aren’t phoned in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

"They phoned the airbase police, who didn't answer the phone. It just rang out so she dialled 999," he told the BBC.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

"It wasn't just 20 second phone calls, some people phoned me back so I had a few longer conversations," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

“You know, Abra, I’ve got a feeling that he doesn’t want to see anybody. Judge Knudsen phoned and your father said to tell him he was asleep.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

"As soon as a flat comes onto the market, 50 people are phoning," she told AFP at the couple's new flat in suburban Madrid, where boxes lay unpacked.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

People forget what shopping looked like before Amazon: flipping through glossy catalogs, mailing or phoning in orders and waiting weeks for delivery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

"It's hard to navigate and it's hard to understand why they're phoning England when they should be phoning here and they get treatment here."

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026

When he wasn’t there, we were phoning every day.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026

Mom began phoning anyone she thought might help her refuse to take me.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

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Related Words

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