sidetone

S1I1D2E1T1O1N1E1

noun

The effect of sound that is picked up by the telephone's mouthpiece and introduced (at low level) into the earpiece of the same handset, acting as feedback; or a similar effect in radiotelegraphy, public-address systems, etc.

Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounsidetone (countable and uncountable, plural sidetones)

plural sidetones

  1. countableuncountableThe effect of sound that is picked up by the telephone's mouthpiece and introduced (at low level) into the earpiece of the same handset, acting as feedback; or a similar effect in radiotelegraphy, public-address systems, etc.

Origin

From side + tone.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

sidetone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sidetone

MLA

“sidetone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sidetone. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sidetone,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sidetone.

Source: sidetone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.