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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of handset

First recorded in 1915–20; hand + set

Example Sentences

All of them talk loudly on the handset, which she installed last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

She noted Qualcomm’s guidance implies a 23% quarter-on-quarter decline in its QCT handset segment for its current quarter, saying that would be worse than the normal seasonal dip.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 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

O2 told its customers they had 30 days to leave their contracts without any termination charges - though if their plan included a handset, they would still have to pay that off in full.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

A little sticky, but he lifted the handset easy enough.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles