telephone dial

• Drehscheibe oder Tastenfeld an einem Telefon, mit dem eine Rufnummer eingegeben wird. In Zeiten von Smartphones und digitalen Tastaturen ist der Begriff weitgehend veraltet.

A rotating disc or push-button interface on a telephone used to enter a phone number. This term is largely obsolete in the age of smartphones and digital keypads.

1. Rotary dial on a phoneB1formal

   A rotating disc on older telephones used to select numbers by turning it to specific positions.

   Wählscheibe

   • She turned the telephone dial to call her friend.
   • The old rotary telephone dial clicks as it rotates back.
   • He had to use a telephone dial to connect to the operator.

2. Keypad on a modern phoneA2informal

   The set of numbered buttons on a telephone used to input a number.

   Telefontastatur

   • Press the numbers on the telephone dial to make a call.
   • The telephone dial on this model is backlit for easy use.
   • He accidentally pressed the wrong button on the telephone dial.