cell phone

noun

variants or less commonly cellphone
ˈsel-ˌfōn How to pronounce cell phone (audio)
plural cell phones also cellphones
: a portable usually cordless telephone for use in a cellular system

Examples of cell phone in a Sentence

Call me on my cell phone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
John of John takes place in the 1990s, before everyone had internet and cell phones had become appendages, and the story's pacing matches that era in that nothing is immediate. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 The system watched for signs that another person had taken the applicant’s place in front of the computer, or for the use of cell phones or earphones, or even for the applicant leaving the frame. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 Keeping a few portable cell phone chargers loaded and ready to go is also helpful. — Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2026 Investigators found cell phone videos of him raping the children, taken from his point of view, the prosecutor said. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cell phone

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cell phone was in 1983

Rhymes for cell phone

See All Rhymes for cell phone

Browse Nearby Words

Cellosolve
cell phone
cell phone lot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cell phone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cell%20phone. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cell phone

noun
: a portable cellular telephone
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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