area code

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of area code

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

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

But in Florence, he joked that Gallrein's phone number "has a Tel Aviv area code".

From BBC • May 18, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Elected officials urged residents to join patrols, such as Defend the 612, a group named for a local area code.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

“No. Your area code was from somewhere else. But I guess— I guess you just didn’t change your number when you moved?”

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows