burner phone

American  

[bur-ner fohn] / ˈbɜr nər ˌfoʊn /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of burner phone

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

Example Sentences

During the most intense front-line battles, the kind that last days, he has left his regular cellphone at the base and instead carried a simple burner phone — with a keypad instead of a touch screen — that he powers on every 12 hours.

From Washington Post

Our captor asked for a phone number for our driver, and instead of giving it to him, I pulled out a burner phone and called my driver on it, then passed the phone over to the Taliban fighter.

From Los Angeles Times

Julianna Zobrist allegedly told her husband the affair was over but is accused of keeping in contact with the former pastor and even allegedly bought a "burner phone" to talk to him.

From Fox News

Police allege Innecco dispatched an associate to purchase him a burner phone, made hurried arrangements to sell his real estate holdings in Uruguay, and applied for Italian passports for himself and his family.

From Reuters

Chad Daybell gets a burner phone, the indictment alleges.

From Fox News