- a telephone mouthpiece and receiver in a single hand-held unit; also, such a unit containing a dial or push buttons
- a hand-held cell phone
handset
hand·setWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"handset." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET>.
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handset. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET
handset
noun
The handle-shaped part of a telephone, containing the receiver and transmitter and often a dial or push buttons.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"handset." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET>.
APA Style
handset. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET
Noun
(plural handsets)
- The part of a telephone containing both receiver and transmitter (sometimes dial), held in the hand.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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MLA Style
"handset." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET>.
APA Style
handset. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET
handset - Computer Definition
(1) A portable, wireless phone. See cellphone, smartphone and cordless phone.
(2) The part of a desk telephone that is held to the ear and mouth. It contains the speaker (receiver) and microphone (transmitter). Contrast with headset.
I've Been Talking on a What?
Many people are not familiar with the term "handset." However, when contrasted to a "headset," it makes sense.
Only the Speaker
The handsets in some early phones contained only the speaker, such as this Blake wall phone at the turn of the 20th century. The microphone was in the base unit. (Image courtesy of Nortel Networks.)
Computer Desktop Encyclopedia THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher. © 1981-2017 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"handset." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET>.
APA Style
handset. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/HANDSET
