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Synonyms

telephony

American  
[tuh-lef-uh-nee] / təˈlɛf ə ni /

noun

  1. the construction or operation of telephones or telephonic systems.

  2. a system of telecommunications in which telephonic equipment is employed in the transmission of speech or other sound between points, with or without the use of wires.


telephony British  
/ tɪˈlɛfənɪ /

noun

  1. a system of telecommunications for the transmission of speech or other sounds

"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

Etymology

Origin of telephony

First recorded in 1825–35; telephone + -y 3

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.

See Examples For:

Las Vegas: IBM unveiled a device that merged telephony and computing in 1992 at a Las Vegas trade show, previewing the coming mobile era.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 9, 2026

For Luis, the outwardly dull telephony work has provided the anchor he needs to stay out of crime, something he says ex-gang members he knows in the US struggle with.

From BBC Apr. 30, 2025

Conecel signed a concession with Ecuador in 2008 to operate its mobile telephony market until Aug. 26, 2023 with hundreds of millions of dollars in planned investments.

From Reuters Aug. 22, 2023

“Legacy” networks that transmit calls the way they did before the internet revolutionized telephony aren’t covered.

From Los Angeles Times May 20, 2022

In the development of telephony also Hughes had an important share, and the telephone has attained its present perfection largely as a result of his investigations.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 8 "Hudson River" to "Hurstmonceaux" by Various

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