call waiting

Definition

A telephone feature that alerts a user to an incoming call while they are already on another call, allowing them to pause or switch between conversations. The caller typically hears a beep or tone to indicate the second incoming call.

Example Usage

I was talking to my boss when call waiting beeped, so I put him on hold to take my mom's call.

Origin

Introduced commercially in the 1960s by Bell Telephone as a premium service feature.

Fun Fact

Call waiting was considered cutting-edge technology and commanded a monthly fee; some people found the interruption so annoying they paid extra to disable it.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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