telephone
telephone Lexical Profile
telephone Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An electronic telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are separated by distance.
"The telephone rang loudly in the middle of the night, startling everyone in the house."
• verb
To contact or speak to someone using a telephone.
"She telephoned her parents immediately to share the good news about her recent promotion."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern, everyday English, 'telephone' is typically shortened to 'phone', while the full word is often reserved for formal contexts or to specifically refer to a traditional landline device.
• Rhymes for telephone
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined from the Greek roots 'tēle' (far) and 'phōnē' (voice, sound). Initially applied to various acoustic signaling devices in the 1830s, it became the standard term for Alexander Graham Bell's electrical transmission invention in 1876.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.