tel•e•phone/ˈtɛləˌfoʊn/USA pronunciationn., v.,-phoned, -phon•ing. n.
TelecommunicationsAlso called phone. a device, system, or process for sending sound or speech to a distant point, esp. by an electric device: [countable]There were no telephones on the highway.[uncountable* often: by + ~]See if we can reach him by telephone.
v.
Telecommunicationsto send (a message) by telephone to (someone); phone: [~ + object]They telephoned her with the news.[~ + object + object]They telephoned her the message.[~ + that clause]She telephoned that there had been an accident.[no object]They telephoned ahead with the news.
an electrical device for transmitting speech to a distant person
a worldwide system of communications using telephones. The microphone in one telephone converts sound waves into electrical signals that are transmitted along a telephone wire or by radio to one or more distant sets, the receivers of which reconvert the incoming signal into the original sound
(as modifier): a telephone exchange, a telephone call