handset
Cradle's resting occupant
A handset is the part of a telephone that you hold in your hand, containing both the earpiece and mouthpiece.
The term persists from the era of landline phones, when the handset sat in a cradle attached to the base unit.
In contemporary usage, handset often refers to a mobile phone or smartphone itself: She upgraded to a new handset when her contract renewed.
The word distinguishes the physical device from the service plan or network it operates on.
Voice communication device
- landlineStationary wired telephone
- receiverOne who accepts transmission
- earpieceSpeaker worn in-ear
- mouthpieceOne who speaks officially
cradle · keypad · rotary · touch-tone · deskphone · payphone · corded · base
Contact by phone
- conversationExchange of spoken ideas
- voicemailRecorded caller messages
- caller-IDFeature showing incoming numbers
- speakerphoneHands-free audio device
mute · volume · talk · ringtone · contacts · dialing · messaging · text
Portable wireless telephone
- smartphoneHandheld connected computer
- cordlessWithout attached wiring
- mobileCapable of movement
- handheldDesigned for palm use
pocket-sized · rechargeable · battery-powered · compact · portable · roaming · SIM · touchscreen
telephone
Voice communication device
mouthpiece · cradle · keypad · rotary · touch-tone · deskphone · payphone · corded · base · extension
call
Contact by phone
- conversationExchange of spoken ideas
- voicemailRecorded caller messages
- caller-IDFeature showing incoming numbers
speakerphone · mute · volume · talk · ringtone · contacts · dialing · messaging · text · intercom
cellphone
Portable wireless telephone
- smartphoneHandheld connected computer
- cordlessWithout attached wiring
- mobileCapable of movement
handheld · pocket-sized · rechargeable · battery-powered · compact · portable · roaming · SIM · touchscreen · flip-phone
Bluetooth
Short-range wireless protocol
4G · 5G · LTE · NFC · infrared · transmitter · antenna · frequency · pairing · sync
controller
Device directing a system
thumbstick · trigger · vibration · wireless · wired · console · grip · buttons
- telephonytelephone, telephone network, call, dial tone, phone lines
- telephonestelephone, rotary phone, phone, cordless phone, corded phone
- Receiversradio receiver, wireless receiver, satellite receiver, audio receiver, stereo receiver
- phone systemsPBX, extension, phone line, main menu, touch tone
- telecomwireless, cellular, telecommunications, carriers, telephone
- telecommunicationscell phone, cellphone, signals, cellular network, telephone calls
handsetbase unit
Fundamental defined quantity
base station · cradle · docking station · wall mount · switchboard
handsetwall phone
Fixed-position household telephone
desk phone · landline · pay phone · switchboard · corded phone
- shake handsMutual palm-grip greeting
- wash your handsRemove germs with soap
- holding handsGripping another's palm
- hold handsGrasp another's fingers
- hands upSurrender gesture demand
- hands offForbidding contact or meddling
hands, handsomely, handsaw, handsaws, handsets, hands-free, handsfree