Dictionary.com

telephonist

[ tuh-lef-uh-nist, tel-uh-foh- ]
/ təˈlɛf ə nɪst, ˈtɛl əˌfoʊ- /

noun Chiefly British.

a telephone switchboard operator.

QUIZZES

BEAT THE DOLDRUMS WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

We know you’ll tackle this quiz totis viribus! See how many words from the week of Oct 12–18, 2020 you get right!
Question 1 of 7
What does “Indigenous” mean?
characterized by cleverness or originality of invention or construction.
carried on abroad, or with other countries.
relating to or being a people who are the original, earliest known inhabitants of a region, or are their descendants.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of telephonist

First recorded in 1875–80; telephone + -ist

Words nearby telephonist

telephone pole, telephone receiver, telephone selling, telephone tag, telephonic, telephonist, telephony, telephoto, telephotograph, telephotography, telephoto lens
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for telephonist

British Dictionary definitions for telephonist

telephonist
/ (tɪˈlɛfənɪst) /

noun

British a person who operates a telephone switchboardAlso called (esp US): telephone operator
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