radiotelephone

[ rey-dee-oh-tel-uh-fohn ]

noun

1. a telephone in which sound or speech is transmitted by means of radio waves instead of through wires or cables. : RT

verb (used with or without object)

, ra·di·o·tel·e·phoned, ra·di·o·tel·e·phon·ing.

1. to telephone by radiotelephony.

radiotelephone

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˌtɛlɪˈfɒnɪk; ˌreɪdɪəʊtɪˈlɛfənɪ; ˌreɪdɪəʊˈtɛlɪˌfəʊn /

noun

1. Also calledradiophonewireless telephone a device for communication by means of radio waves rather than by transmitting along wires or cables

verb

1. to telephone (a person) by radiotelephone

Derived Forms

• radiotelephony, noun
• radiotelephonic, adjective

Other Words From

• ra·di·o·tel·e·phon·ic [rey-dee-oh-tel-, uh, -, fon, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of radiotelephone¹

First recorded in 1905–10; radio- + telephone

Example Sentences

He reacted instinctively, grabbing the car’s “radiotelephone” before other reporters to file a brief but world-shaking scoop to his editors: “Three shots fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade today in downtown Dallas.”

From Washington Post

Kyle J. White, an Army radiotelephone operator who struggled for hours through persistent enemy fire in Afghanistan to try to save the lives of wounded soldiers during a surprise attack by Taliban fighters.

From New York Times

Mr. Christian filed his reports in Morse code, switching to voice communication only in the mid-1980s after Pitcairn acquired a radiotelephone.

From New York Times

The ceremonial aspect continued with the raising of the American flag and a radiotelephone conversation with President Richard Nixon.

From The Guardian

Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet- switched digital telephone network. radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• transmission
• wireless