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)

phoned, phoning

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

2. to send (a message) by telephone.

verb (used without object)

phoned, phoning

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

• -phonic combining form
• phonal adjective

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

phone ²

Example Sentences

Trump and Bass subsequently spoke on the phone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Her phone was “ringing off the hook,” she said, with people who were calling about rattlesnake sightings all over the state.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Woods told authorities he was looking down at his phone while changing radio stations and did not realise the truck in front of him had slowed down before the collision.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Kill the convenience: Delete any one-click shopping apps or saved credit-card information on your phone.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

A message, then, that he could not relay over the phone.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• call up
• contact
• dial