burner phone

[bur-ner fohn]

noun

Informal.

1. a disposable cell phone with prepaid service, often used with the intent to temporarily obscure the true identity or contact information of the user: I always give out the number from my burner phone when I’m going on a blind date.

   Members of the cartel used burner phones to evade federal surveillance.

   I always give out the number from my burner phone when I’m going on a blind date.

Word History and Origins

Origin of burner phone¹

2000–05; burn ¹ ( def. ) (perhaps in the slang sense “to disclose the identity of”) + -er ¹ ( def. ) + phone ¹ ( def. )