Standard Lemma guide

SMS

name · noun · verb · 14 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.

  • /ˌɛs ɛm ˈɛs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛs
  • CMU ARPABET: EH2 S EH2 M EH1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

Initialism of short message service: a system enabling cell phones to send or receive text messages.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Topics: communications, electrical-engineering, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, telecommunications

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

Initialism of Sega Master System.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Topics: video-games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A text message sent using the short message service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: text

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Initialism of special mint set.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, numismatics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Initialism of salesman sample.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Initialism of Smith-Magenis syndrome.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

Topics: biology, genetics, medicine, natural-sciences, pathology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Initialism of short man syndrome.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Initialism of stiff man syndrome.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

Topics: medicine, neurology, neuroscience, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: SPS

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Initialism of safety management system: a system designed to identify and manage occupational safety and health risks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

Initialism of senior minister of state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

SMS — Seiner Majestät Schiff – literally, "His Majesty's Ship" in German;

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: initialism, uncountable

Topics: government, military, nautical, politics, transport, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

SMS — Seiner Majestät Schiff – literally, "His Majesty's Ship" in German;

A ship prefix for a ship in the navy of the Empire of Germany (usually for the period leading to WWI and WWI)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: initialism, uncountable

Topics: government, military, nautical, politics, transport, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: HIGMS

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

plural of SM

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To send a message on a cell phone via short message service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I SMSed him and asked why he was late.
  • I can't talk to her: she is too busy SMSing her friends.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: text

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Abbreviation of short message service.

Borrowed from German SMS.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Arabic: رِسَالَة (risāla) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Arabic: رِسَالَة إِس إِم إِس (risālat ʔes ʔem ʔes) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Arabic: رِسالة (risāla) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Arabic: ميساج (mīsāž) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Bulgarian: съобщение (sǎobštenie) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Bulgarian: есемес (esemes) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 短信 (duǎnxìn) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Chinese Mandarin: SMS (es-em-es) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Czech: esemeska — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Czech: textovka — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Dutch: sms — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Dutch: sms-bericht — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Finnish: tekstiviesti — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • French: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • French: texto — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Georgian: მოკლე ტექსტური შეტყობინება (moḳle ṭeksṭuri šeṭq̇obineba) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Georgian: SMS შეტყობინება (SMS šeṭq̇obineba) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Georgian: ეს-ემ-ესი (es-em-esi) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • German: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • German: SMS-Nachricht — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • German: Textnachricht — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Greek: μήνυμα (mínyma) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Hebrew: סמס — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Japanese: 伝言 (dengon) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Japanese: エス・エム・エス (esu-emu-esu) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Japanese: SMS (esu-emu-esu) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Latvian: īsziņa — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Persian: اس ام اس (es-em-es) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Persian: مسج (mesej) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Persian: پیامک (payâmak) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Polish: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Polish: esemes — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Portuguese: mensagem de texto — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Portuguese: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: эс-эм-э́с (es-em-és) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: эсэмэ́ска (esɛmɛ́ska) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: сообще́ние (soobščénije) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: ме́сседж (méssedž) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Russian: СМС (SMS) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Swahili: ujumbe mfupi — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Swedish: sms — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Tamil: குறுஞ்செய்தி (kuṟuñceyti) — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Turkish: SMS — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Turkish: mesaj — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Turkish: kısa mesaj — a text message sent on a cell phone
  • Afrikaans: SMS — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Dutch: sms'en — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Finnish: lähettää tekstiviesti — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Georgian: შეტყობინების გაგზავნა (šeṭq̇obinebis gagzavna) — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Georgian: დამესიჯება (damesiǯeba) — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Hebrew: סימס (simés) — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Polish: esemesować — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Polish: SMS-ować — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Polish: tekstować — to send a message on a cell phone
  • Tamil: குறுஞ்செய்தி அனுப்பு (kuṟuñceyti aṉuppu) — to send a message on a cell phone