telephone
pronunciation
How to pronounce telephone in British English:
UK [ˈtelɪfəʊn]
How to pronounce telephone in American English:
US [ˈtelɪfoʊn]
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- Noun:
- electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
- transmitting speech at a distance
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- Verb:
- get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
Word Origin
- telephone (v.)
- 1878, from telephone (n.). Related: Telephoned; telephoning.
- telephone (n.)
- 1835, "system for conveying words over distance by musical notes" (devised in 1828 by French composer Jean-François Sudré (1787-1862); each tone played over several octaves represented a letter of the alphabet), from French téléphone (c. 1830), from télé- "far" (see tele-) + phone "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (see fame (n.)). Sudré's system never proved practical. Also used of other apparatus early 19c., including "instrument similar to a foghorn for signaling from ship to ship" (1844). The electrical communication tool was first described in modern form by Philip Reis (1861); developed by Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), and so called by him from 1876.
Example
- 1. You can 't do that with the telephone network .
- 2. Telephone fao schwarz about the new twin baby dolls .
- 3. Why not just use the telephone ?
- 4. There was a telephone call .
- 5. Talked to him on the telephone ?