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walkie-talkie

American  
[waw-kee-taw-kee] / ˈwɔ kiˈtɔ ki /
Or walky-talky

noun

Radio.

  1. a combined transmitter and receiver light enough to be carried by one person: developed originally for military use in World War II.

walkie-talkie British  
/ ˌwɔːkɪˈtɔːkɪ /

noun

  1. a small combined radio transmitter and receiver, usually operating on shortwave, that can be carried around by one person: widely used by the police, medical services, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of walkie-talkie

1935–40, walk, talk, -ie

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Sunday, McCullum was seen sending messages via walkie-talkie to the England players during drinks breaks as they squeezed home against Nepal in a last-ball nail-biter in Mumbai.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

Left behind on the street outside the Louvre was the truck, a jerry can, a blowtorch, angle grinders, a walkie-talkie and yellow vests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Pitching coach Blaine Traxel will have the walkie-talkie to relay pitches to Brody, who will be wearing the earpiece behind home plate.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2025

Massry runs from the front of the store to the back, walkie-talkie on his waist squawking as employees request help at the registers.

From Slate • Oct. 26, 2024

“Code … in the building …” a voice came through the walkie-talkie interspersed with static.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.