mobile phone

American  

noun

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

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mobile phone British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of mobile phone

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

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

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has had his conviction for damaging a transgender activist's mobile phone overturned.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

She took her mobile phone out and started filming.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, who has contributed to The New York Times, PBS, and Al Jazeera English, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly spreading false information, harming national security and misusing his mobile phone.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

And 2006 was an important year for the mobile phone because of the growth of smartphone devices.

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