handset

American  

[hand-set, hand-set, -set] / ˈhændˌsɛt, ˈhændˈsɛt, -ˌsɛt /

noun

1. Also called French telephone.  a telephone having a mouthpiece and earpiece mounted at opposite ends of a handle.

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verb (used with object)

handset, handsetting

1. to set (type) by hand.

adjective

1. (of type) set by hand.

2. (of a publication) printed directly from type set by hand.

handset British  

/ ˈhændˌsɛt /

noun

1. a telephone mouthpiece and earpiece mounted so that they can be held simultaneously to mouth and ear

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Etymology

Origin of handset

First recorded in 1915–20; hand + set

Example Sentences

Qualcomm’s shares dropped 11% due to weak guidance for the March quarter, attributed to rising memory prices affecting its handset segment.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Each handset contains about three grams of them -- more than 3,700 tonnes overall for the 1.24 billion devices sold worldwide in 2024.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

The company’s handset segment saw revenue of $6.9 billion, which came in higher than expectations for $6.6 billion, while automotive revenue was $1.05 billion, slightly ahead of the $1 billion analyst estimate.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 5, 2025

A number of unidentified fingerprints were found at the scene and a telephone handset that was on the wall behind the counter was gone.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2025

I grab the handset just before the answering machine kicks in.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements