phone number
compound.compound. The special sequence of numbers you use to call a person or a business on the telephone.
compound. A unique sequence of digits assigned to a telephone line or device, used to route calls to a specific recipient.
Can I have your phone number?
He saved the new phone number in his contacts so he wouldn't forget it.
The old address book contained a phone number for a person who had not been heard from in over a decade.
This compound noun is often written as two words, though 'phonenumber' is a common informal variant.
Stress falls on the first word, 'PHONE number', which is a typical stress pattern for English compound nouns.
number of phonephone numberIn English compound nouns, the describing word ('phone') usually comes before the main noun ('number').
Last updated April 24, 2026