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rotary dial

American  

noun

  1. dial.


Other Word Forms

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.

Regardless, the desire to be “the Mary” is natural to anyone raised on “Mary Tyler Moore,” which describes pretty much anybody who remembers rotary dial phones or Nick at Nite.

From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026

I have certainly observed, in my own children, the younger generation’s infatuation with products that became obsolete just as they were born: the rotary dial phone, the disposable camera, the network sitcom.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

The lid of the cylindrical charging case is itself a button and a rotary dial, and it’s the key to using the Cyberblades with your computer.

From The Verge • Aug. 30, 2022

It’s a lot for consumers to wrap their heads around, said Bueche, who compared gas range aficionados to rotary dial telephone loyalists who’ve never held an iPhone.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2021

You’re given a top-down view of a three-dimensional tunnel, and you use a spinning rotary dial to control a “shooter” that travels around the rim of the tunnel.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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