TTY

abbreviation or noun

ˌtē-(ˌ)tē-ˈwī 

variants or less commonly tty

plural TTYs also ttys

1

: a printing device resembling a typewriter that is used to send and receive telephonic signals : teletypewriter, teletype sense 1

The machines, also called TTYs, consist of a small keyboard with a narrow screen that plugs into a phone's receiver and displays what a caller says.

—The Associated Press

Wireless technology and the Internet mean Liz hardly ever uses a TTY, or teletypewriter, anymore.

—Jenifer Goodwin

The "TTY" indication after a phone number means that there is a TTY in use at that number.

—ASL University

—often used before another noun

… only 10 or 20 facilities in the country let deaf inmates regularly use videophones for outside calls, as most still employ TTY devices, which allow users to type messages.

—Matt Zapotosky

2

: a computer program or service that emulates a teletypewriter

Examples of TTY in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171). — ABC News, 24 July 2026

Owners may also reach out to Kia's customer service team by calling (800)-333-4542, or NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171). — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 June 2026

Anyone seeking help should call The National Domestic Violence Hotline, a free and confidential hotline available 24/7 that can be reached on 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. — Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1