area code

American  

noun

• area codes
  plural

1. a three-digit code that identifies one of the telephone areas into which the U.S. and certain other countries are divided and that precedes the local telephone number when dialing a call between areas.

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area code British  

noun

1. a number prefixed to an individual telephone number: used in making long-distance calls

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• area codes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of area code

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

area code

There is also a sticker on the fridge saying it should be kept at -4, a poster saying the daily special is priced at £2.05 and a taxi number featuring the area code 638.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

While the ad for the in-universe furniture store Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire plays, a phone number with a South Bay area code flashes in a supertitle.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

I happen to live and work in Melbourne, Fla. Our area code is 321 — like a countdown.

From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026

She launched 818 in 2021, naming it after the area code of her Los Angeles neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

I look at the screen and see a phone number with a 212 area code.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi