mobile phone

American  

noun

1. any wireless telephone that operates over a relatively large area, as a cell phone or PCS phone.

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mobile phone British  

noun

1. a portable telephone that works by means of a cellular radio system

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Etymology

Origin of mobile phone

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

He also explained that he watched the footage on a mobile phone and not on a monitor.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

British mobile phone giant Vodafone said Tuesday that it sharply reduced its annual losses as it undergoes major restructuring to refocus on its core markets after years of weak performance.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

"We took one child home and they were mortified by their child's actions and they took all the electronics, games consoles, mobile phone away from them," he said.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

North Korea had 6.35 million mobile phone subscriptions at the end of 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the International Telecommunications Union.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

There is a joke about a commuter who’s on his way to work when he gets a call on his mobile phone from his wife.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker