beeper

American  

[bee-per] / ˈbi pər /

noun

• beepers
  plural

1. a device that connects into a telephone circuit and transmits a periodic signal as an indication that the conversation over the circuit is being recorded.

2. a similar device attached to a free-ranging animal as an aid to learning its habits; biotelemeter.

3. Also called pager.  a pocket-size electronic device whose signal notifies a person of an important message, sometimes displaying the telephone number to be called.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• beepers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of beeper

First recorded in 1945–50; beep + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

beeper beepers

Stephen explained: "Everything was geared up to the beeper going off and you being ready."

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026

Like, at some point, I wore a beeper that wasn’t even working just because it was part of my look.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2024

He was armed with a beeper and a list of more than 2,000 names and numbers.

From New York Times ● Apr. 12, 2022

Who did Nick Fury ping with his beeper before turning to ash?

From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2018

Dad keeps checking his beeper, hoping someone will call.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

When he traveled back then there weren't cell phones or beepers or anything.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2023

There, they recalled a time when beepers and custom ringtones were a thing and the Christina Milian theme song reigned supreme among children of a certain age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2022

For his work with teens, he developed a novel research method by giving them beepers, which went off randomly throughout the day.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 30, 2021

As beepers faded out of style, Klater sought a new business model.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 20, 2021

The beepers, newspapers, and magazines were distractions—we weren’t supposed to be occupied with any of that while on the job.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover