intercom
Americannoun
-
intercoms
plural
-
a communication system within a building, ship, airplane, local area, etc., with a loudspeaker or receiver for listening and a microphone for speaking at each of two or more points.
-
a microphone or receiver of such a communication system.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of intercom
First recorded in 1935–40; by shortening
Explanation
An intercom is a device that makes it possible for people to communicate between different rooms or areas of a building. Airplanes use intercoms so the pilot can tell passengers, "Fasten your seat belts!" Many schools have an intercom system, so that students, teachers, and administrators can broadcast announcements to every classroom. Some intercoms operate as one-way communication, while others are two-way intercoms: a friend's apartment building might have an intercom you can speak into, telling her you've arrived, and she can respond, telling you she's buzzing you in. Intercom, dating from 1940, is a shortened form of intercommunication.
Vocabulary lists containing intercom
The Skin I'm In
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Liar & Spy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Corruption of Hollis Brown
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But on two occasions when guards summoned Kao over the intercom, he refused to enter the visitation room.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Getting in the car with my husband and driving down here, I was talking to them through the doorbell intercom.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Guests need to prearrange entrances or exits, or buzz an intercom during those hours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
Each room is equipped with an intercom to contact guards if needed.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
He pressed the intercom button that linked him to speakers all over the house.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
This month, the security company Verkada, which sells cameras, alarms and intercoms, announced it raised capital at a $5.8 billion valuation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
Rob Jackson, a passenger on the flight, told the New York Times it had been a normal journey until the descent process began and the fight attendants' intercoms repeatedly started going off.
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2024
The district is also adding intercoms and cameras at school entryways.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2022
The school repaired its intercoms that had been faulty during the lockdown and hosted a town hall with parents to understand more of the issues.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 8, 2022
And next all the intercoms in the house are wailing.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
