cell-phone

UK: ˈsɛlfəʊn | US: ˈsɛlfoʊn

Definition

  1. n. a portable telephone that uses wireless technology to send and receive signals

Structure
cell <small unit>phone <sound>
Etymology

cellphone = cell<small unit> + phone<sound>

  • cell: Derived from Latin cella ("small room"), later used in biology for microscopic structures and in technology for wireless network divisions.
  • phone: From Greek phōnē ("sound, voice"), referring to voice transmission devices.

Etymology Origin:
The term "cellphone" emerged in the 1980s, combining "cell" (referring to the cellular network's partitioned zones) and "phone" (voice communication). The cellular network design, where coverage areas split into "cells," inspired the name.

Examples

  1. She forgot her cellphone at home and felt disconnected all day.

  2. Modern cellphones can perform tasks beyond calling, like browsing the internet.

  3. The teacher asked students to silence their cellphones during class.

  4. His cellphone battery died during the trip.

  5. Cellphones have revolutionized global communication.