Detectaphone

/dɪˈtektəfoʊn/ noun

Definition

A proprietary device or system designed to detect phone calls or intercept telephone communication.

Etymology

From 'detect' + 'phone' (from Greek phonē 'sound'). This appears to be either a historical trademarked device name or a constructed term combining detection technology with telephone technology.

Kelly Says

Detectaphone sounds like something from a spy movie, and it probably was! Early 20th-century detectives and law enforcement experimented with devices to intercept phone calls before privacy laws existed—a precursor to modern wiretapping.

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