American Dictionary

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Definition telephone in American English

telephone noun

noun
/ˈteləˌfoʊn/
1

a piece of electronic equipment that you use for speaking to someone in a different place, especially a landline (=a phone that is attached to a telephone line). A telephone is often simply called a phone

Example

They have a telephone next to their bed.

Example

a digital cordless telephone

Example

The telephone's been ringing all morning.

Example

Pascoe picked up the telephone and said "Hello."

Example

May I use your telephone?

Synonyms and related words
1.1

the system of communicating using telephones

Example

The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

Example

People are interviewed over the telephone.

Example

I placed my order by telephone two weeks ago.

Synonyms and related words
1.2

relating to or involving the telephone

Example

a telephone line/dial/switchboard

Synonyms and related words
2

a game in which something is repeated quietly from one person to another, in order to see how it has changed when the last person hears it

Synonyms and related words
Definition telephone in American English