answering service

American  

noun

1. a service providing operators who answer a subscriber's telephone and take messages when the subscriber does not answer.

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Etymology

Origin of answering service

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The same phone number is listed for all of them, and it goes to an answering service.

From Washington Post • Mar. 4, 2022

The phone for McCloskey’s campaign rang unanswered Tuesday and a message left with his law office’s answering service wasn’t immediately returned.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2021

"We'll have our answering service up tomorrow," Jerry Carr replied in jest.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2021

He doesn’t have an answering service, and he said people are still shocked when he answers the office phone, “NeuCare, this is Dr. ‘

From Washington Times • Nov. 16, 2018

Eventually a company representative or answering service picked up the call.

From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette