# phone

/ˈfoʊn/ (US) · /fˈəʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/phone
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. telephone number

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

the set of numbers used to call a specific person.

For teachers: a sequence of digits assigned to a specific telephone line or user.

- Can I have your phone so I can text you the address?
- He scribbled his phone on a napkin before leaving the café, hoping she would actually use it.

### 3. a unit of sound

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a single sound in a language, like the 'p' sound.

For teachers: a distinct speech sound or gesture, regardless of whether it changes the meaning of a word.

- The linguist recorded every phone the speaker produced during the interview.
- In phonetic analysis, a phone is the physical reality of a sound, whereas a phoneme is its abstract mental representation.

Usage: Used as a countable noun in phonetics.

### 4. to call someone

verb · CEFR A1

to call someone using a telephone.

For teachers: to contact a person or organisation by telephone.

- I will phone you as soon as I get to the hotel.
- The manager phoned the supplier to complain about the late delivery and the damaged packaging.

Usage: Can be used with or without a direct object.

## Examples

- I need to charge my phone before we leave.
- She checked her phone for new messages as soon as the plane landed at the airport.
- The rapid evolution of the mobile phone has transformed it from a simple voice-communication tool into a sophisticated handheld computer capable of managing every aspect of a user's digital life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.