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• phone
  phone

  noun

  telephone.
• -phone
  -phone

  a combining form meaning “speech sound” (homophone ), “an instrument of sound transmission or reproduction” (telephone ), “a musical instrument” (saxophone; xylophone ).

phone

¹ American  

[fohn] / foʊn /

noun

1. telephone.

2. a portable electronic telephone device, as a cell phone, mobile phone, or smartphone.

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verb (used with object)

phones, present (3rd person singular) phoned, past participle, past phoning present participle

1. to speak to or summon (a person) by telephone.

2. to send (a message) by telephone.

verb (used without object)

phones, present (3rd person singular) phoned, past participle, past phoning present participle

1. to send a message by telephone.

phone ² American  

[fohn] / foʊn /

noun

Phonetics.

1. a speech sound.

   There are three phonetically different “t” phones in an utterance of “titillate,” and two in an utterance of “tattletale.”

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-phone ³ American  

1. a combining form meaning “speech sound” (homophone ), “an instrument of sound transmission or reproduction” (telephone ), “a musical instrument” (saxophone; xylophone ).

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-phone ¹ British  

combining form

1. (forming nouns) indicating voice, sound, or a device giving off sound

   microphone

   telephone

2. (forming nouns and adjectives) (a person) speaking a particular language

   Francophone

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phone ² British  

/ fəʊn /

noun

1. short for telephone

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phone ³ British  

/ fəʊn /

noun

1. phonetics a single uncomplicated speech sound

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• -phonic
  combining form
• phonal
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has phoned
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have phoned
  perfect
• is phoning
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been phoning
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am phoning
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been phoning
  perfect progressive
• phones
  singular 3rd person
• are phoning
  progressive
• phoning
  participle

Past

• had phoned
  perfect
• was phoning
  progressive singular
• had been phoning
  perfect progressive
• phoned
  participle
• phoned
  simple
• were phoning
  progressive plural

Future

• will phone
  simple
• will have phoned
  perfect
• will have been phoning
  perfect progressive
• will be phoning
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of phone¹

First recorded in 1880–85; by shortening

Origin of phone²

First recorded in 1865–70, phone is from the Greek word phōnḗ voice

Origin of -phone³

see origin at phone ²

Example Sentences

One of the others is the Brick, that little piece of plastic that has exactly one job—to make my phone stop working in distracting ways—and executes it to perfection.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2026

It beat his usual airport routine of charging his phone and scrolling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Buddhist mantras should be chanted while the baby is being delivered, but he can't remember the words, so he plays them from his phone on speaker instead.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The phone call informing players they had made their national team for the tournament was, in many cases, the culmination of a lifelong dream.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

A beat of silence goes by while we both stare at my phone, willing it to ring.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial