Robocalling

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Making large-scale telephone calls using automated systems that deliver prerecorded messages to recipients without human interaction
2. Using computer-controlled dialing technology to contact numerous people simultaneously with pre-recorded or synthesized messages
3. The practice of sending mass automated calls to phone numbers, typically for marketing, surveys, or scams delivered through recorded messages

Etymology: "Robocalling" is the continuous form of "robocall," a compound of "robo-" and "call." The prefix "robo-" is shortened from "robot," so the word describes a call placed by an automated machine rather than a person. The first recorded use of "robocall" appears in the Associated Press Newswire around 1998, which places the term in the late 1990s, when automated telephone dialing was becoming a common nuisance. The formation is plain and transparent: "robo-" has been productive as a prefix in English for automated things, following the same pattern as "robotics" and "robovoice." What makes the word notable is how quickly it spread from a technical description into everyday complaints about unwanted sales and scam calls.

Synonyms: automated calling, robo-call