Definitions for telephone operator
tele·phone op·er·a·tor

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. telephone operator, telephonist, switchboard operatornoun

   someone who helps callers get the person they are calling

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. telephone operatornoun

   a person who operates a telephone switchboard

2. telephone operatornoun

   a person who provides assistance in establishing a connection, or who provides information or takes messages via the telephone

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. telephone operator

   A telephone operator is a professional who facilitates communication by connecting, monitoring, and troubleshooting calls via a switchboard or multiline telephone system. They often provide information, answer queries, support emergency services, and may handle additional services like voicemail and call forwarding. In the past, they played a crucial role in manual exchanges but in the modern world, their role focuses more on specialized call-handling functions within organizations.

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Telephone operator

   In the early days of telephony, through roughly the 1960s, companies used manual telephone switchboards and switchboard operators connected each call by inserting a pair of phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. Each pair of plugs was part of a cord circuit with a switch associated that let the operator participate in the call. Each jack had a light above it that lit when the telephone receiver was lifted. Lines from the central office were usually arranged along the bottom row. Before the advent of operator distance dialing and customer Direct Dial calling, switchboard operators would work with their counterparts in the distant central office to complete long distance calls. With the development of computerized telephone dialing systems, many telephone calls which previously required a live operator can be placed automatically by the calling party without additional human intervention. Before the advent of automatic exchanges, an operator's assistance was required for anything other than calling telephones across a shared party line. Callers spoke to an operator at a Central Office who then connected a cord to the proper circuit in order to complete the call. Being in complete control of the call, the operator was in a position to listen to private conversations. Automatic, or Dial systems were developed in the 1920s to reduce labor costs as usage increased, and to ensure privacy to the customer. As phone systems became more sophisticated, less direct intervention by the telephone operator was necessary to complete calls.

Matched Categories

1. • Operator

How to pronounce telephone operator?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say telephone operator in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of telephone operator in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of telephone operator in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1