TTY
abbreviation or noun
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
Cite this Entry
“TTY.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/TTY. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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