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telephone

noun
/ˈtɛlɪfəʊn/UK/ˈtɛləˌfoʊn/US/ˈteɫəˌfəʉn/

Etymology

The noun is derived from tele- (prefix meaning ‘from a distance’) + -phone (suffix denoting a device which makes a sound), modelled after German Telephon (“early apparatus converting sound into electrical signals”) (dated) (now German Telefon). The word was first used to refer to the modern device in 1876 by the Scottish-born Canadian-American engineer Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922). The prefix tele- is ultimately derived from Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle, “afar, far away, far off”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁- (“to turn end-over-end; to revolve around; hence, to dwell, sojourn”). The suffix -phone is ultimately from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound; voice”), and Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to say; to speak”). Noun sense 4.4 (“system of communication using musical notes”) is borrowed from French téléphone (“kind of megaphone; system of communication using musical notes”). The verb is derived from the noun.

  1. borrowed from téléphone — “kind of megaphone; system of communication using musical notes”
  2. derived from *bʰeh₂-✻ — “to say; to speak”
  3. derived from φωνή — “sound; voice”
  4. derived from *kʷelh₁-✻ — “to turn end-over-end; to revolve around; hence, to dwell, sojourn”
  5. derived from τῆλε — “afar, far away, far off”

Definitions

  1. A telecommunication device which converts data or sounds (usually speech) into electrical…

    A telecommunication device which converts data or sounds (usually speech) into electrical signals which are then transmitted to enable two or more people to communicate with each other over a distance; now usually a device having a dial or keypad with numerals for entering a number, etc., to connect with a person, and means (such as a sound or vibration) for alerting one to an incoming call or transmission; also, the handset or receiver of such a device.

  2. Short for telephone call (“a connection established over a telephone network

    Short for telephone call (“a connection established over a telephone network; a conversation held by the parties on this connection”).

  3. A means of communicating information from one person to another or others.

  4. ›+ 10 more definitions

    1. Now chiefly preceded by a descriptive word

      Now chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: a simple communication device which converts sounds (usually speech) into mechanical vibrations along a string, wire, etc.

      • string telephone    tin can telephone
      • The days are behind us (I recall) when children played with makeshift telephones made from jam tins connected by string; […]

    2. A type of foghorn used for sending signals in the form of loud tones or musical notes,…

      A type of foghorn used for sending signals in the form of loud tones or musical notes, especially one invented in the 19th century by John Taylor, a captain in the British Royal Navy.

    3. A communication device consisting of two aligned gutta-percha speaking tubes connected to…

      A communication device consisting of two aligned gutta-percha speaking tubes connected to parabolic reflectors which allows speech spoken into one tube to be sent through the air to the other one, invented in the 19th century by the British engineer Francis Whishaw (1804–1856); also, a speaking tube of such a device.

    4. A system of communication using musical notes, also known as Solresol, invented in 1828…

      A system of communication using musical notes, also known as Solresol, invented in 1828 by the French composer Jean-François Sudre (1787–1862).

    5. Synonym of Chinese whispers (“a game for several players in which a phrase, whispered by…

      Synonym of Chinese whispers (“a game for several players in which a phrase, whispered by each person in turn to their neighbour, is often unwittingly misunderstood as it is transferred, to humorous effect by the time it reaches the last person and is compared with the original phrase; (figurative) a situation where something is changed or misunderstood as a result of passing through successive people or processes”).

      • And since the spring of 1995, no game of telephone has ended without some Simpsons-loving smart-ass dropping "purple monkey dishwasher" into the chain.

    6. To convey (information, a message, news, etc.) using a telephone (noun sense 1).

      • David telephoned his apologies to his mother. On the way we had had our first puncture, and had taken some time to change the wheel, as we were unable to find the jack.
      • He telephoned what he knew to his chief, the information such as to cause the smug complacency of that gentlemen in his henchman's prowess to vanish from his expression, […]

    7. To (attempt to) contact (someone) using a telephone.

      • The length ganger saw the train passing with the van derailed and promptly telephoned the Sandbach signalman, who restored his signals to danger, but not in time to stop the train before the final derailment occurred.

    8. To provide (a place) with a telephone system.

    9. To transmit (sounds) over a distance.

      • Do you hear the chemical accents of the sun? / Do you telephone the roar of the waters over the earth?

    10. To (attempt to) contact someone using a telephone

      To (attempt to) contact someone using a telephone; to make a telephone call.

      • I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn't I? Why didn't I telephone? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack, and I'd no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape.
      • Having completed their task, Fireman Page telephoned from a lineside box to the next signal cabin, briefly reported the incident and said that, as no high explosive had dropped and the track was safe, they proposed proceeding "at caution".
      • The only chance we had was to telephone to the manager of the hotel in Calgary to send two bottles of Scotch without fail by the next train leaving Calgary for the west.

The neighborhood

Derived

antitelephone, big white telephone, broken telephone, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen telephone, EPR telephone, Everett-Wheeler telephone, on the telephone, phone, plain old telephone service, post office telephone system, premium-rate telephone number, pretelephone, talk to God on the big white telephone, talk to Ralph on the big white telephone, telco, telemarketing, telephone alphabet, telephone answering machine, telephone-bell, telephone book, telephone booth, telephone box, telephone call, telephone card, telephone conference, telephone desk, telephone directory, telephone exchange, telephone game, telephone girl, telephone jack, telephone kiosk, telephoneless, telephonelike, telephone line, telephone number, telephone operator, telephone pole, telephone ring, telephone scatologia · +24 more

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at telephone. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01telephone02call03describe04represent05character06breed07birth08start09board

A definitional loop anchored at telephone. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

9 hops · closes at telephone

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA