Definitions
01communication device
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a piece of equipment used for talking to someone in a different place.
n. a telecommunication device used for two-way voice communication over distances.
日本語:電話※
“The telephone on the desk rang loudly while I was in the kitchen.”
“Before the era of mobile technology, the household telephone was typically tethered to a wall jack in a central room of the house.”
Usage
Often shortened to 'phone' in modern everyday English.
02the game
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun American English
n. a game where a message is whispered from person to person and usually changes by the end.
n. a children's game in which a message is passed through a line of people via whispering, often resulting in humorous distortion.
“The kids played telephone at the party and the final sentence was hilarious.”
“The corporate communication breakdown felt like a game of telephone, where the original strategy was completely lost by the time it reached the staff.”
Usage
Uncountable in this sense.
Synonyms
03to call someone
A2 · Elementary
v. to call someone using a telephone.
v. to contact or attempt to contact a person via a telecommunications network.
“I will telephone you tomorrow morning to discuss our travel plans.”
“The witness immediately telephoned the emergency services after observing the suspicious vehicle departing from the scene.”
Usage
Can be used with or without a direct object.
Etymology
First used by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 to refer to the modern instrument, but previous devices had been given this name, which was borrowed from French téléphone. Ultimately from Ancient Greek τῆλε (têle, “afar”) + φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice, sound”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. telephone tag
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/telephone
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0