Telephonist: meaning, definitions and examples

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telephonist

[ tɪˈlɛfənɪst ]

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job position

A telephonist is a person who operates a telephone switchboard, helping to connect calls to the appropriate recipients.

Synonyms

switchboard operator, telephone operator

Examples of usage

The telephonist at the hotel directed my call to the front desk.
I used to work as a telephonist at a busy office.

Translations

Translations of the word "telephonist" in other languages:

🇵🇹 telefonista

🇮🇳 टेलीफोन ऑपरेटर

🇩🇪 Telefonist

🇮🇩 operator telepon

🇺🇦 телефоніст

🇵🇱 telefonista

🇯🇵 電話交換手 (denwa koukanshu)

🇫🇷 téléphoniste

🇪🇸 telefonista

🇹🇷 telefon operatörü

🇰🇷 전화 교환원 (jeonhwa gyohwan-won)

🇸🇦 عامل الهاتف

🇨🇿 telefonista

🇸🇰 telefonista

🇨🇳 电话接线员 (diànhuà jiēxiànyuán)

🇸🇮 telefonist

🇮🇸 símaþjónn

🇰🇿 телефонист

🇬🇪 ტელეფონისტი (teleponisti)

🇦🇿 telefonçu

🇲🇽 telefonista

Word origin

The term 'telephonist' originated in the late 19th century as telephones became more common in households and businesses. It was initially used to describe the person responsible for operating manual telephone switchboards. With advancements in technology, the role of telephonists has evolved, but the term continues to be used in some contexts to refer to individuals who handle telephone calls.