Standard Lemma guide

dumbphone

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdʌm.fəʊn/
  • General-American: /ˈdʌm.foʊn/
  • rhymes with -ʌmfoʊn

1

noun

Meaning 1

A cell phone that does not have any functionality characteristic of a smartphone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: basic phone

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cell phone, mobile phone, phone

History

Etymology

From dumb + phone, constructed as an antonym to smartphone.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 非智能手機 /非智能手机 (fēizhìnéng shǒujī) — cell phone lacking the functionality characteristic of a smartphone
  • Finnish: peruspuhelin — cell phone lacking the functionality characteristic of a smartphone
  • Russian: звони́лка (zvonílka) — cell phone lacking the functionality characteristic of a smartphone
  • Russian: бабушкафо́н (babuškafón) — cell phone lacking the functionality characteristic of a smartphone
  • Spanish: teléfono de teclas — cell phone lacking the functionality characteristic of a smartphone