tele·phone
ˈte-lə-ˌfōn 
plural telephones
: a device by which sound (such as speech) is converted into electrical impulses and transmitted (as by wire or radio waves) to one or more specific receivers (see receiver sense d(1)) : phone
The telephone rang.
We spoke by telephone.
a telephone call
: such as
a
: a telephone that operates by means of a landline
… an old-fashioned corded telephone. The kind that plugs right into the wall phone jack.—
Eliot Kleinberg
Eliot Kleinberg
b
: cell phone
In a day when most of us have a telephone in our back pocket … the need for a pay phone no longer exists.—Paul Connor
Paul Connor
telephoned; telephoning
: to communicate by telephone
telephoner
noun
Examples of telephone in a Sentence
Noun
I just have to make a quick telephone call before we leave.
You can order the cake over the telephone.
The telephone has been ringing all morning!
She picked up the telephone and dialed the number.
He slammed down the telephone.
They hired someone to answer the telephones.
All our telephones are cordless.
I left the telephone off the hook.
Verb
He telephoned me to say that he was going to be late.
He telephoned to say that he was going to be late.
You never write or telephone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Musk has had telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2024
Gale Kiplinger recalled his big brother telephoning him close to midnight, saying Dewy would lose.
—Rob Wells / Made By History, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for telephone 
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Noun
The obvious solution is to disconnect the telephone line.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Musk has had telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
—David Ingram, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
Anyone with information is asked to telephone the sheriff’s department at (323) 890-5500.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2024
Gale Kiplinger recalled his big brother telephoning him close to midnight, saying Dewy would lose.
—Rob Wells / Made By History, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for telephone
Dictionary Entries Near telephone
Cite this Entry
“Telephone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telephone. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
telephone
1 of 2 noun
tele·phone
ˈtel-ə-ˌfōn
: any of several devices for transmitting and receiving sounds over long distances by electricity
telephone
2 of 2 verb
telephoned; telephoning
1
: to communicate by telephone
2
: to send by telephone
3
: to speak to by telephone
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