Phone

[fohn] /foʊn/

noun, verb (used with or without object), phoned, phoning.
1.
.
[fohn] /foʊn/
noun, Phonetics.
1.
a speech sound: There are three phonetically different “t” phones in an utterance of “titillate,” and two in an utterance of “tattletale.”.
1.
a combining form meaning “speech sound” (homophone), “an instrument of sound transmission or reproduction” (telephone), “a musical instrument” (saxophone; xylophone).
/fəʊn/
noun, verb
1.
short for telephone
/fəʊn/
noun
1.
(phonetics) a single uncomplicated speech sound
combining form
1.
(forming nouns) indicating voice, sound, or a device giving off sound: microphone, telephone
2.
(forming nouns and adjectives) (a person) speaking a particular language: Francophone
n.

1884, shortening of telephone (n.). Phone book first recorded 1925; phone booth 1927; phone bill 1901.

“elementary sound of a spoken language,” 1866, from Greek phone (see fame (n.)).
v.

1884, from phone (n.). Related: Phoned; phoning.

word-forming element meaning “voice, sound,” also “speaker of,” from Greek phone “voice, sound,” from PIE root *bha- (2) “to speak, say, tell” (cf. Latin for, fari “to speak,” fama “talk, report;” see fame (n.)).

Related Terms

flip phone, hold the phone