text message

American  

noun

text messages plural

1. an electronic message sent over a cellular network from one cell phone to another by typing words, often in shortened form, as “l8t” for “late,” on the phone's numeric or QWERTY keypad.

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text message British  

noun

1. a written message sent by means of a mobile phone

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• text messages
  plural

Etymology

Origin of text message

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Still, there was something undeniably thrilling about receiving a text message from my dog.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2026

The company’s core offering is an AI agent that resolves customer queries end-to-end, across numerous channels—including live chat, email, WhatsApp, text message, phone, and Slack.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

A spokesperson for Pratt did not immediately respond to phone calls and a text message seeking comment Saturday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

“With bg. All you would have to say, is you should know that I’ve told jeffrey everything – everything,” Epstein wrote in a text message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Mom must have heard from Dad, because I heard her cell beep with an incoming text message.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen