phone book
B1Informal, everyday; formal versions include 'telephone directory'.
Definition
Meaning
A printed or digital directory listing telephone numbers and associated names/addresses.
Can refer to the contacts list on a mobile phone or an online directory. Used metaphorically to describe something very thick, heavy, or lengthy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a concrete noun referring to a physical object. Usage is decreasing in the digital age. The metaphorical use ('a book as thick as a phone book') remains common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'phone book' is common; 'telephone directory' is the more formal term. In the US, 'phone book' is predominant; 'telephone book' is also used. 'Yellow Pages' (proprietary name) is often used for the business section in both regions.
Connotations
Neutral in both. May evoke nostalgia or suggest outdated technology among younger speakers.
Frequency
Overall frequency declining, but 'phone book' remains more common than 'telephone directory' in everyday speech in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
look up [someone] in the phone bookbe listed in the phone bookthumb through the phone bookVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “thick as a phone book”
- “not in the phone book (unfindable or secretive)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We advertised in the local phone book."
Academic
Rare; may appear in historical/sociological texts about communication.
Everyday
"I'll grab the phone book to find a plumber."
Technical
Not used; 'telephone number database' or 'contact management system' preferred.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The phone-book listings were outdated.
- A phone-book-sized manual.
American English
- The phone book listings were outdated.
- A phone-book-size manual.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The phone book is on the table.
- My name is in the phone book.
- I looked up the restaurant's number in the phone book.
- We still get a new phone book every year.
- Finding a number online is quicker than searching through a physical phone book.
- The report was as thick and heavy as an old phone book.
- The gradual obsolescence of the printed phone book reflects broader societal shifts towards digital information consumption.
- He was metaphorically unlisted, as absent from public life as a number not in the phone book.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BOOK where you find a PHONE number. It's a book *for* phones.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PHYSICAL OBJECT/BOOK AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION; also, THICKNESS/HEAVINESS (e.g., 'a phone book of a novel').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal calque 'телефонная книга'. Use 'телефонный справочник' or 'телефонная книга' only in digital context ('контакты').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'phonebook' as one word (acceptable but less standard than two words). Confusing 'phone book' (general) with 'Yellow Pages' (trademarked business section).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common modern equivalent of a 'phone book' on a mobile device?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are accepted, but the two-word form 'phone book' is more standard in published writing.
A 'phone book' is the entire directory. The 'Yellow Pages' is a specific, trademarked section (or separate book) listing business telephone numbers, traditionally printed on yellow paper.
Usage has declined dramatically. They are still printed in some areas, primarily for older demographics or as a backup, but most people use online directories or their phone's contacts.
Yes, informally. People might say "It's in my phone book" meaning their digital contacts list, though 'contacts' is the more precise term.
Explore