call waiting

American  

noun

1. a telephone service feature whereby a person engaged in a telephone call is notified by a tone that a second call is being made to the same number, and is able to talk to either party while keeping the other on hold.

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Example Sentences

If we were lucky, we had call waiting.

From New York Times • Apr. 27, 2023

So, 1989 called — on a phone that has a cord and probably doesn’t have call waiting — and it wants its music videos back.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2022

In July, First Direct faced complaints from customers about long call waiting times.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2021

The advent around the same time of call waiting similarly made human agency a deciding factor in whether you were available to talk.

From Slate • Sep. 18, 2016

She holds the line until she is tempted to hang up, wondering all the while if her husband is trying to reach her from home, regretting not having call waiting.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri