Pager

Definition

A wireless telecommunications device that receives short text messages, widely used from the 1980s through early 2000s before mobile phones became ubiquitous. Pagers operated on a one-way system where users received messages but could not directly reply.

Example Usage

Before cell phones, doctors always carried a pager to receive emergency notifications.

Origin

From 'page,' derived from calling out someone's name to get their attention; the device was named for its function of 'paging' the user.

Fun Fact

Pagers actually still exist and are used in some hospitals and emergency services due to their superior penetration of building walls and reliability compared to cell networks.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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See “Pager” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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