ansaphone

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableBritishold-fashioned

   A machine connected to a telephone that records spoken messages when nobody picks up the call.

   Grammar: Often used with on: leave a message on the ansaphone.

   Patterns

   • leave a message on the ansaphone

   I left a message on her ansaphone.

   The ansaphone clicked on after five rings.

   Mum always checked the ansaphone when she got home.

Word forms

Common combinations

leave a message on the ansaphone

Please leave a message on the ansaphone.

check the ansaphone

He checked the ansaphone before bed.

the ansaphone message

The ansaphone message was only a few words long.

switch on the ansaphone

Switch on the ansaphone before you go out.

Synonyms and how they differ

answering machine

Answering machine is the general neutral term, while ansaphone is a British brand name used as a common noun.

answerphone

Answerphone is the common British spelling, and ansaphone is the brand-style spelling.

voicemail

Voicemail is the modern service stored by a network, while an ansaphone is a physical device.

Word family

answer verb

to respond to a call

phone noun

a device for speaking at a distance

answerphone noun

the generic British spelling

Commonly confused: ansaphone or answerphone?

Practice

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