1. Electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
   "I talked to him on the telephone";
   - phone, telephone set
    
2. Transmitting speech at a distance
   "The advent of mobile telephone revolutionized personal communication";
   - telephony
    
3. [US] A game in which a group of people whisper a phrase to each person's neighbour in turn, the phrase often being slightly misheard several times and having the sense altered by the time it reaches the last person
   "The children's party ended with a hilarious game of telephone";
   - Chinese whispers [Brit]

1. Get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
   "I tried to telephone you all night";
   - call, call up, phone, ring

Derived forms: telephoned, telephones, telephoning

Type of: electronic equipment, telecom, telecommunicate, telecommunication

Part of: phone system, telephone system

Encyclopedia: Telephone, The