Synonyms

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.

North Korea had 6.35 million mobile phone subscriptions at the end of 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the International Telecommunications Union.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

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

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

According to Which?, the consumer organisation, mobile phone users in Tenby experience a good connection 54.3% of the time - the worst in the UK.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

She took her mobile phone out and started filming.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

I checked my mobile phone to confirm it.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

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