contactee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Specialized
Quick answer
What does “contactee” mean?
A person who is contacted, especially by someone from an outer-space or extraterrestrial civilization.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who is contacted, especially by someone from an outer-space or extraterrestrial civilization.
A person who has been approached or communicated with by a particular individual, group, or entity, especially in contexts involving special claims, secret communications, or unusual phenomena.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or grammatical differences. The concept and usage are identical in both varieties.
Connotations
In both regions, the word is strongly associated with UFO and alien encounter narratives. It may be viewed skeptically in mainstream discourse.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both BrE and AmE, confined to specialized discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “contactee” in a Sentence
[contactee] of [extraterrestrials][contactee] who [claims/experienced][contactee] reported thatVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “contactee” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The researcher aimed to contactee several witnesses. (Note: This is a non-standard, rare verb use.)
American English
- Cults sometimes contactee vulnerable individuals. (Note: This is a non-standard, rare verb use.)
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- The contactee phenomenon is a subject of sociological study. (Note: This is a noun used attributively.)
American English
- She reviewed contactee literature from the 1950s. (Note: This is a noun used attributively.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in standard business contexts.
Academic
Used in anthropology, sociology, or religious studies when analyzing belief systems and paranormal claims.
Everyday
Rare in everyday conversation. If used, it is specific to discussions about aliens or the paranormal.
Technical
Technical term within ufology and related paranormal research fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “contactee”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “contactee”
- Using 'contactee' to mean the person who initiates contact (that is the 'contactor' or simply 'contact').
- Misspelling as 'contacte' or 'contactie'.
- Using it in general contexts where 'contact' or 'person contacted' would be more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Contact' is the general act of communication or the person initiating it. 'Contactee' specifically refers to the person on the receiving end of that contact, especially in unusual contexts like alien encounters.
No, it is a low-frequency, specialized term. You will rarely encounter it outside of discussions about UFOs, the paranormal, or specific academic studies of such phenomena.
It is highly unusual and not recommended. In business, you would use terms like 'the person contacted', 'the recipient', 'the client', or 'the lead'.
There is no perfect, single-word antonym. The active counterpart could be called the 'contactor', 'initiator', or simply 'the one who made contact'.
A person who is contacted, especially by someone from an outer-space or extraterrestrial civilization.
Contactee is usually formal/specialized in register.
Contactee: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒn.tækˈtiː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːn.tækˌtiː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the '-ee' ending like in 'employee' (one who is employed). A contact-EE is one who is contact-ED.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS A TRANSFER (The contactor transfers a message to the contactee).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'contactee' MOST specifically used?