caller ID

[kaw-ler]

noun

1. a telephone service that allows a subscriber to identify a caller before answering by displaying the caller's telephone number on a small screen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of caller ID¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Ofcom advises people not to trust the caller ID display on their phone when trying to avoid scams.

Read more on BBC

The caller ID was falsified to make it seem as if the calls were coming from the former New Hampshire chairwoman of the Democratic Party.

Read more on New York Times

Ofcom has warned against relying on caller ID to tell if calls are legitimate.

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“It just didn’t make sense with the caller ID,” Lundqvist recalled thinking back in June.

Read more on Seattle Times

He called his gadget Doorbot back then, and said it was like a “caller ID” for your doorbell.

Read more on Los Angeles Times