Definition

1. Noun:
   • A telephone with a dial for registering the number to be called: A dial phone is a type of telephone where the user rotates a numbered dial to input the telephone number, as opposed to pressing buttons.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • My grandmother still uses a classic black dial phone.
  • Before touch-tone phones became common, the dial phone was the standard in most homes.

Advanced Usage

• Historical context: The term "dial phone" is often used to describe telephones from the mid-20th century, emphasizing their mechanical operation and vintage aesthetic.
  • The museum's exhibit on communication history featured an early model of a dial phone.

Variants and Related Words

• Dial telephone (n): A synonymous term for a dial phone.
  • The instructions were written for a dial telephone.
• Rotary phone (n): Another common term for a dial phone, referring to the rotating dial mechanism.
  • He collects and restores old rotary phones.

Synonyms

• Rotary telephone: A telephone operated by a rotating dial.
• Rotary-dial phone: A phone using a rotary dial mechanism.

Related Phrases

• To dial a number: The action of inputting a number using a rotary dial, a phrase that persists even with modern phones.
  • Even with a smartphone, we still say "dial a number."

Noun

1. a telephone with a dial for registering the number to be called