telephone — a device used for speaking to someone in another place by means of electrical signals
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a device used for speaking to someone in another place by means of electrical signals
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈteləfoʊn/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother still uses a rotary telephone from 1970.
- The telephone rang just as I was getting into the bathtub.
- Could you telephone the restaurant to make a reservation?
telephone
NOUN[/ˈteləfoʊn/]
a device used for speaking to someone in another place by means of electrical signals
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Telephone derives from Greek, combining tele (far, distant) and phone (sound, voice), literally meaning 'sound from afar'. The term was coined following Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the device in 1876.
Breakdown
tele- (far, distant) + phone (sound, voice, sonic transmission). The compound describes technology that transmits vocal sound across distance.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother still uses a rotary telephone from 1970.”
“The telephone rang just as I was getting into the bathtub.”
“Could you telephone the restaurant to make a reservation?”
“The telephone interview went better than expected.”
📚Related Words
Antonyms
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