directory assistance: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2formal, neutral
Quick answer
What does “directory assistance” mean?
A service provided by telephone companies that helps callers find telephone numbers and addresses for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A service provided by telephone companies that helps callers find telephone numbers and addresses for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
The broader concept of information lookup services, sometimes extended metaphorically to refer to any person or system that provides guidance or connections.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'Directory Enquiries' is the more common traditional term, though 'Directory Assistance' is understood. In American English, 'Directory Assistance' is standard.
Connotations
Both terms are neutral, though 'Directory Enquiries' sounds slightly more formal/official in the UK.
Frequency
'Directory Assistance' is high-frequency in the US; 'Directory Enquiries' is high-frequency in the UK, though the service is now often rebranded.
Grammar
How to Use “directory assistance” in a Sentence
call [someone] for directory assistanceask directory assistance for [number]connect me to directory assistanceVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used when needing to contact suppliers, clients, or partners whose contact details are not immediately available.
Academic
Rarely used; might appear in historical or sociological studies of communication technology.
Everyday
Used when trying to find a phone number for a restaurant, doctor's office, or local business.
Technical
Refers to a specific telephony service, potentially involving automated interactive voice response (IVR) systems.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “directory assistance”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “directory assistance”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “directory assistance”
- Using 'directory assistance' to refer to in-person receptionists or general information desks (it's specifically phone-based).
- Capitalizing it as a proper noun unnecessarily.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It often depends on the phone carrier and country. It was frequently a charged service, but many providers now offer a limited number of free inquiries.
This varies by country. In the US and Canada, it's traditionally 411. In the UK, it was 192 (now 118 numbers).
Yes, most directory assistance services can provide basic address information for listed individuals and businesses.
Yes, though less frequently. It is still used by people without smartphones, with poor internet connections, or when an online search fails to yield a correct, current number.
A service provided by telephone companies that helps callers find telephone numbers and addresses for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Directory assistance is usually formal, neutral in register.
Directory assistance: in British English it is pronounced /dɪˌrɛkt(ə)ri əˈsɪst(ə)ns/, /daɪˌrɛkt(ə)ri əˈsɪst(ə)ns/, and in American English it is pronounced /dəˈrɛktəri əˈsɪstəns/, /daɪˈrɛktəri əˈsɪstəns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't be a human directory assistance.”
- “He's like walking directory assistance for the city.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a DIRECTORY (phone book) that comes to life as an ASSISTANT to help you find numbers.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A SERVICE / A GUIDE IS A TOOL
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common British English equivalent for 'directory assistance'?