ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cell phone

compound.
A1 Beginner Oxford

compound. A small phone that you can carry with you and use anywhere. In British English, people usually call this a 'mobile phone'.

compound. A portable, wireless telephone that transmits signals via a cellular network. This is the standard term in American English.


SIMPLE

I can't find my cell phone.

CONTEXTUAL

She checked her cell phone for messages as soon as the plane landed.

COMPLEX

The proliferation of the cell phone has fundamentally reshaped modern communication and social etiquette.

Origin

Clipping of cellular phone.

Usage

This is the primary term in American English; the British English equivalent is 'mobile phone'.

Teaching tip

This is a compound noun where the stress falls on the first word, 'CELL phone', to distinguish it from a simple adjective-noun pair.

Pitfall

I bought a new cellphone.I bought a new cell phone.Although the one-word spelling is common, 'cell phone' as two words is the more standard form.

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