text message

American  

noun

text messages plural

1. an electronic message sent over a cellular network from one cell phone to another by typing words, often in shortened form, as “l8t” for “late,” on the phone's numeric or QWERTY keypad.

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text message British  

noun

1. a written message sent by means of a mobile phone

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• text messages
  plural

Etymology

Origin of text message

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

The Slattery character is a sad-sack has-been living in a garage, unable to get his former colleague even to respond to a text message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Then Esme was asked via text message to provide more detail, so she sent descriptions of what had happened, when and where, and waited for their call.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

Still, there was something undeniably thrilling about receiving a text message from my dog.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2026

A spokesperson for Pratt did not immediately respond to phone calls and a text message seeking comment Saturday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

Can’t you tell that when I saw that text message from Mom, I went back to being a four-year-old again?

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix