noun

phonebook

FOHN-buuk

Phonebook (noun) means a printed or digital directory listing people's or businesses' phone numbers. Example: “We used to look up plumbers in the phonebook.”

noun

A printed or digital directory listing people's or businesses' phone numbers.

"We used to look up plumbers in the phonebook."

How to use phonebook

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA book (or, these days, an app or website) listing phone numbers.

When to use it

Largely a relic of the pre-internet era — most people now search online instead of using a printed phonebook.

Word forms

phonebooked past tense, phonebooks plural, phonebooks singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

We used to look up plumbers in the _____.

Etymology

A straightforward compound of "phone" and "book."

Synonyms

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phone book telephone book telephone directory

Rhymes for phonebook

ook book look cook rook hook nook kook sook fook mook wook

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Frequently asked questions

What does “phonebook” mean?

The word “phonebook” means a printed or digital directory listing people's or businesses' phone numbers. In plain terms, a book (or, these days, an app or website) listing phone numbers.

How do you pronounce “phonebook”?

“Phonebook” is pronounced FOHN-buuk (/ˈfoʊnˌbʊk/ in IPA).

How do you use “phonebook” in a sentence?

Here is “phonebook” used in a sentence: “We used to look up plumbers in the phonebook.”

What part of speech is “phonebook”?

“Phonebook” is a noun.