- phone (n.1)
- 1884, shortening of telephone (n.). Phone book first recorded 1925; phone booth 1927; phone bill 1901.
- phone (v.)
- 1884, from phone (n.). Related: Phoned; phoning.
- phone (n.2)
- "elementary sound of a spoken language," 1866, from Greek phone "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (see fame (n.)).
