mobile

¹

[ moh-buhl, -beelor, especially British, -bahyl ]

adjective

1. capable of moving or being moved readily.
2. Digital Technology. pertaining to or noting a cell phone, usually one with computing ability, or a portable, wireless computing device used while held in the hand, as in mobile tablet mobile PDA mobile app
3. utilizing motor vehicles for ready movement:

   a mobile library.

4. Military. permanently equipped with vehicles for transport.
5. flowing freely, as a liquid.
6. changeable or changing easily in expression, mood, purpose, etc.:

   a mobile face.

7. quickly responding to impulses, emotions, etc., as the mind.
8. Sociology.
   1. characterized by or permitting the mixing of social groups.
   2. characterized by or permitting relatively free movement from one social class or level to another.
9. of or relating to a mobile.

noun

1. a piece of sculpture having delicately balanced units constructed of rods and sheets of metal or other material suspended in midair by wire or twine so that the individual parts can move independently, as when stirred by a breeze. Compare stabile ( def 3 ).
2. mobile phone.
3. Informal. a mobile home.
4. Citizens Band Radio Slang. a vehicle.

Mobile

²

[ moh-beel, moh-beel ]

noun

1. a seaport in SW Alabama at the mouth of the Mobile River.
2. a river in SW Alabama, formed by the confluence of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. 38 miles (61 km) long.

-mobile

³

1. a combining form extracted from automobile, occurring as the final element in compounds denoting specialized types of motorized conveyances: snowmobile; especially productive in coinages naming vehicles equipped to procure or deliver objects, provide services, etc., to people without regular access to these: bloodmobile; bookmobile; clubmobile; jazzmobile.

mobile

¹

/ ˈməʊbaɪl /

adjective

1. having freedom of movement; movable
2. changing quickly in expression

   a mobile face

3. sociol (of individuals or social groups) moving within and between classes, occupations, and localities

   upwardly mobile

4. (of military forces) able to move freely and quickly to any given area
5. informal.
   postpositive having transport available

   are you mobile tonight?

noun

1. 1. a sculpture suspended in midair with delicately balanced parts that are set in motion by air currents
   2. ( as modifier ) Compare stabile

      mobile sculpture

2. short for mobile phone

Mobile

²

/ ˈməʊbiːl; məʊˈbiːl /

noun

1. a port in SW Alabama, on Mobile Bay (an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico): the state's only port and its first permanent settlement, made by French colonists in 1711. Pop: 193 464 (2003 est)

-mobile

³

/ məʊˌbiːl /

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating a vehicle designed for a particular person or purpose

   Popemobile

mobile

1. A sculpture made up of suspended shapes that move.

Notes

Alexander Calder , a twentieth-century American sculptor, is known for his mobiles.

Other Words From

• non·mobile adjective
• semi·mobile adjective
• un·mobile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mobile¹

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin, neuter of mōbilis “movable,” contraction of assumed movibilis, equivalent to movi- (stem of movēre “to set in motion, impel, move”) + -bilis adjective suffix; move, -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of mobile¹

C15: via Old French from Latin mōbilis, from movēre to move

Example Sentences

Mobile phone apps have to be energy efficient because the phone has limited battery power.

From BBC

Mobile units will be used in the trial so that researchers can go to care homes and give the vaccine to more people.

From BBC

Mobile dental programs were the most expensive, averaging more than $1 million.

From Salon

I felt like he appeared to be trying to give a voice for people, like from my area, like from Mobile.

From Salon

Mobile kitchens and bakeries have been forced to stop work because of air strikes.

From BBC