smartphone

American  

[smahrt-fohn] / ˈsmɑrtˌfoʊn /

Or smart phone

noun

1. a device that combines a cell phone with a handheld computer, typically offering internet access, data storage, email capability, etc.

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smartphone British  

/ ˈsmɑːtˌfəʊn /

noun

1. computing a mobile telephone with computer features that may enable it to interact with computerized systems, send e-mails, and access the web

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Etymology

Origin of smartphone

First recorded in 1995–2000

Compare meaning

How does smartphone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cell phone vs. smartphone

Example Sentences

Their careers spanned the personal computing, internet and smartphone waves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

In particular, the supply crunch for memory chips has weakened the smartphone market, which could limit the company’s short-term growth, Morgan Stanley argued.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

As Apple expands into the budget computer market, the company is also looking to seize share from its smartphone competitors during a period of memory crunch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Screen Sanity recommends introducing technology to kids in stages: first, a screen-free landline, then a smartwatch, followed by a stripped-down smartphone with restrictions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Friends would teach him how to brush his teeth, use a debit card, and fool around with a smartphone.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden