Robodialers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Automated machines or software systems designed to make phone calls systematically without human intervention, often used for telemarketing, delivering prerecorded messages, or conducting surveys
2. Devices or programs that automatically dial telephone numbers in sequence or from lists, enabling mass calling operations commonly employed for marketing calls, political campaigns, or notification purposes
3. Technology that automatically generates outbound telephone calls to connect with recipients without manual dialing, frequently utilized for bulk outreach, spam calls, or automated customer service notifications

Etymology: "Robodialer" is a modern compound formed from "robot" and "dialer," the latter from "dial," itself a word with a longer history. "Robot" came into English in 1923 from the Czech "robota," meaning forced labour, as used in Karel Čapek's play "R.U.R.", where the artificial workers are called robots. "Dial" descends from Medieval Latin "diale," a word for a sundial's face, from Latin "dies," day, so the telephone sense is a late extension of a word first meant for marking the hours. The compound itself is a technical coinage. It seems to have appeared in the late twentieth century, as automatic dialling systems spread and their operators needed a name for them. The formation follows familiar English patterns, with "-er" marking a device that performs an action, so a "robodialer" is literally a machine that dials on its own, without a person pressing the keys.

Synonyms: autodialers, automatic dialers, telemarketers, robocallers, dialing machines