mobile phone

American

noun

any wireless telephone that operates over a relatively large area, as a cell phone or PCS phone.

mobile phone British

noun

a portable telephone that works by means of a cellular radio system

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mobile phone

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

Craig added that he recommended that the footage he watched on a mobile phone should also be downloaded and viewed on a bigger screen.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Vodafone last week announced it would take full ownership of Britain's biggest mobile phone operator, VodafoneThree.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

"Those disembarking will only be allowed to take with them a small, sealed bag containing essential items such as their documentation, mobile phone, charger, basic necessities and personal belongings."

From BBC • May 9, 2026

United Nations sanctions formally prohibit the import of mobile phone hardware to North Korea.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

He thought: I had no idea how much attention the mobile phone took from driving.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023