switchboard

[ swich-bawrd, -bohrd ]

noun

, Electricity.

1. a structural unit on which are mounted switches and instruments necessary to complete telephone circuits manually.
2. Also called lightboard. a panel of switches, dimmers, etc., for controlling the lighting on a stage or in an auditorium.

switchboard

/ ˈswɪtʃˌbɔːd /

noun

1. an installation in a telephone exchange, office, hotel, etc, at which the interconnection of telephone lines is manually controlled
2. an assembly of switchgear for the control of power supplies in an installation or building

Word History and Origins

Origin of switchboard¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; switch + board

Example Sentences

The switchboard at the Lime Grove studios was jammed with viewers ringing in to find out more, and it gave the BBC the nudge to set up the Natural History Unit in Bristol in 1957.

From BBC

“I went to Brown, so I still knew the switchboard number by heart,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

With no industry experience, Johnson simply called the switchboards of the UK's biggest record companies.

From BBC

Unfortunately, I put my left arm into an 11KV switchboard, which completely melted my forearms down to the bone.

From BBC

She soon went to work for the General Post Office, which ran Britain’s telephone system, and was trained as a switchboard operator.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• command post
• focal point
• headquarters
• hotbed

More About Switchboard

What is a switchboard?

A switchboard is a device used to connect telephone calls.

Switchboards, which are now largely obsolete, consisted of a board of circuits and switches that needed to be manually adjusted for calls to be connected. The person who operated this kind of switchboard was called an operator or a switchboard operator.

Switchboards were used in telephone exchanges as well as places that had their own internal phone systems, such as offices and hotels.

In all of these settings, switchboards have been largely replaced with more advanced technology that does not require the manual connection of circuits. However, some devices might still be referred to as switchboards because they perform the same functions, just in automated ways.

Sometimes, the word switchboard was used as a way of referring to the place or people who operated the switchboard, as in Call the switchboard and have them connect you. It can still be used in this way even though such switchboards are no longer in common use.

The word switchboard can also refer to the control panel used to control lighting, such as on a stage or in an auditorium. This can also be called a lightboard.

It can also refer to an electrical device used to control the power supply in a building.

Example: My grandmother always tells me stories about how she worked as an operator and routed calls all over the world using the switchboard.

Where does switchboard come from?

The first records of the word switchboard come from the 1870s in the U.S. It is simply a compound word composed of the words switch and board.

Switchboards consisted of circuits and switches that needed to be manually changed and switched to different positions on the board based on how the call needed to be routed.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for switchboard?

• board
• panel
• exchange
• lightboard

What are some words that share a root or word element with switchboard? 

• switch
• board
• switchgear

What are some words that often get used in discussing switchboard?

• telephone
• operator
• call
• circuit
• connect
• number

How is switchboard used in real life?

Switchboards are largely obsolete in telecommunications but the word is still sometimes used to refer to modern devices.

It's fascinating to think that before digital communication, switchboard operators had to manually connect phone lines to get your call through. Here is Harry Winn working at the Gibsons Telephone Exchange, 1947. Notice the "Baby Fund" jar on the table in the bottem right. pic.twitter.com/Yv93YRCoHc

— SunshineCoastMuseum (@SCM_A) September 12, 2018

We're currently receiving a high volume of applications for the Additional Restrictions Grant. When making an application, please bear in mind it can take up to 4 weeks to process. Please don't call our main switchboard to check progress. We'll get back to you as soon as we can. pic.twitter.com/LMIHTmhRe3

— Dacorum Council (@DacorumBC) January 21, 2021

jobs that would suit me perfectly that no longer really exist: typist, switchboard operator, movie theater projectionist and travel agent

— katrina (@whitstillmanfan) February 2, 2021

Try using switchboard!

Is switchboard used correctly in the following sentence?

When I called the department store, the switchboard operator asked which department I needed to be connected to.