telephone: meaning and words from its letters
9 letters · 14 letter points · starts with T · ends with E
Meaning of telephone
noun
- countable
A telecommunication device which converts data or sounds (usually speech) into electrical signals which are then transmitted to enable two or more people to communicate with each other over a distance; now usually a device having a dial or keypad with numerals for entering a number, etc., to connect with a person, and means (such as a sound or vibration) for alerting one to an incoming call or transmission; also, the handset or receiver of such a device.
- countable, figuratively
A means of communicating information from one person to another or others.
- Canada, US, uncountable
Synonym of Chinese whispers (“a game for several players in which a phrase, whispered by each person in turn to their neighbour, is often unwittingly misunderstood as it is transferred, to humorous effect by the time it reaches the last person and is compared with the original phrase; (figurative) a situation where something is changed or misunderstood as a result of passing through successive people or processes”).
- countable, historical, uncountable
Now chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: a simple communication device which converts sounds (usually speech) into mechanical vibrations along a string, wire, etc.
Example: string telephone tin can telephone
Listed forms: telephones.
Source: Wiktionary — telephone.
verb
- transitive
To convey (information, a message, news, etc.) using a telephone (noun sense 1).
- transitive
To (attempt to) contact (someone) using a telephone.
- intransitive
To (attempt to) contact someone using a telephone; to make a telephone call.
- obsolete, transitive
To provide (a place) with a telephone system.
Listed forms: telephones, telephoning, telephoned.
Source: Wiktionary — telephone.
Adapted from Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki.org. Selected senses and forms; quotations omitted. Definition text is CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms by meaning
Words are grouped by sense, so they are not necessarily interchangeable in every context. Search synonyms for telephone.
noun
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
- phone
- telephone set
noun
transmitting speech at a distance
verb
get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
Open English WordNet Team, 2025, derived from Princeton University WordNet; selected synonym groups under CC BY 4.0. Source · OEWN notice · Princeton notice.
Is telephone in our word lists?
| Word list | Status |
|---|---|
| American English | Found |
| British English | Found |
| Extended English | Found |
These are spelling-list matches, not official game validity checks. Check the rules and dictionary used by your game.
Letter-value score of telephone
T(1) + E(1) + L(1) + E(1) + P(3) + H(4) + O(1) + N(1) + E(1) = 14 points.
This is a sum of letter values without board bonuses or word multipliers. A blank tile is worth zero: subtract the value of each letter supplied by a blank. The score does not establish game validity. Full letter-value table.
Anagrams of telephone
1 other standard-list word uses exactly these letters, including repeated letters.
Shorter words from telephone
102 shorter standard-list words can be made using no letter more often than it occurs in telephone. Showing up to 24, longest first.