What does "phone" mean?
A device for transmitting conversations and other sounds in real time across distances, now often a small portable unit also capable of running software etc.
Phone
/foʊ̯n/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A device for transmitting conversations and other sounds in real time across distances, now often a small portable unit also capable of running software etc.
- Grammar: phone is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: telephone, allophone, alveolar, ameche.
- Useful contrasts: basic phone, dumbphone, email.
- Usage evidence: "The phone is ringing." "I'll get it."
How to use "phone"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "phone" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "phone" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "phone" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "phone" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "phone" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "telephone" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "phone", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A device for transmitting conversations and other sounds in real time across distances, now often a small portable unit also capable of running software etc.
"Daragh's on the phone at the moment. He'll call you when he's finished."
- 2 A speech segment that possesses distinct physical or perceptual properties, considered as a physical event without regard to its place in the phonology of a language.
- 3 electro-acoustic transducer for converting electric signals into sounds; it is held over or inserted into the ear wordnet
- 4 A person's telephone number (as a means of contact); digits. colloquial
"It was a clear black night, a clear white moon / Warren G was on the streets tryin' to consume / Some skirts for the eve so I can get some phones / Rollin' in my ride, chillin' all alone"
- 5 electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 (phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language wordnet
Verb
- 1 To call (someone) using a telephone. ambitransitive
"Phone me as soon as you land at the airport."
- 2 get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone wordnet
Antonyms
Example
""The phone is ringing." "I'll get it.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "phone"?
Common synonyms include: telephone, allophone, alveolar, ameche, amplitude, apico-alveolar.
How do you use "phone" in a sentence?
"The phone is ringing." "I'll get it."
How do you pronounce "phone"?
Pronounced /foʊ̯n/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-der. Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle)lbor. French télé- Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-der. Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ)der. French -phone French téléphonebor. English telephone English phone Clipping of telephone; first attested in 1884.
Etymology 2
From Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound”).