ringtone

ringtone — noun

1. the programmed sound or melody that a mobile phone plays when it receives an inc

1.nounA2
Definition

the programmed sound or melody that a mobile phone plays when it receives an incoming call, so that the owner knows someone is trying to reach them

Example

Rafael changed his ringtone to a jazz song so he could recognize his phone in a crowd.

change + [possessive] ringtone to [sound type]

Saira's ringtone went off during the meeting, and she quickly silenced her phone.

ringtone goes off during [event]

Common collocations
  • set a ringtone
  • change a ringtone
  • download a ringtone
  • custom ringtone
  • loud ringtone
  • default ringtone
Synonyms
  • ringing sound

    more general; can describe any phone's ring, not just a customised tone

  • call alert

    more technical; often used in phone settings menus

Usage Note

Often used with verbs like 'set', 'change', 'download', and 'customise'. The adjective 'custom' is also common: a custom ringtone.

Common Mistakes

My ringtone is in silent mode.
My phone is in silent mode, so the ringtone won't play.
Silent mode describes the phone's setting, not the ringtone itself.
I heard a ringtone from the landline phone.
I heard the phone ring from the landline.
Ringtone usually refers to mobile phones, not traditional landlines.

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • ringtone download
  • ringtone maker
  • custom ringtone

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGreekLatinEnglish

A compound word formed from 'ring' (from Old English 'hringan', meaning to make a clear resonant sound like a bell) and 'tone' (from Greek 'tonos' via Latin, meaning a sound of a particular quality or pitch). The word came into common use in the late 1990s as mobile phones became affordable and users could choose personalised sounds for incoming calls instead of a standard bell ring.