Handy

See also: handy and händy

English

Etymology

Originating as a nickname for a handy person.

Proper noun

Handy

1. A surname transferred from the nickname
2. (rare) A male given name from English.

Anagrams

• Haydn

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German

FWOTD – 2 April 2013

Handy

Etymology

From English handy. According to some commentators, the German meaning is originally German, whereas others claim there was an early, but now neglected, antetype of it in English. More likely, however, is that handy is a condensed form of Handfunktelefon, which was how it was marketed by electronic firms such as Bosch and Hagenuk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛndi/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

Handy n (genitive Handys, plural Handys)

1. (mobile telephony), mobile phone, mobile, cell phone, phone (portable, wireless telephone)
   • 1994 May 11, Ralf Schlüter, "Stimmungen frei Hand", Berliner Zeitung:

     Alle paar Minuten hängt er am Handy und macht Termine klar.

     Every few minutes he's on his cell phone arranging appointments.

   • 2008, Ulrich Breymann and Heiko Mosemann, Java me, Hanser Verlag, →ISBN, p. 283:

     Bluetooth ist eine drahtlose Kommunikationstechnologie. Der Ursprung dieser Technologie liegt im Jahre 1994, als die Firma Ericsson eine Alternative zu Kabeln für die Verbindung ihrer Handys zum Zubehör wie Headsets suchte.

     Bluetooth is a wireless communication technology. This technology originated in 1994, when Ericsson was looking for an alternative to cables for connecting their cell phones to accessories like headsets.

   • 2009, Ernst Stahl, E-Commerce-Leitfaden, ibi research, →ISBN, p.123:

     Der Kunde hält sein Handy zum Bezahlen einfach an ein Lesegerät und der Betrag wird von seinem Konto abgebucht.

     To pay, the customer just holds his cell phone up to a reader and the amount is deducted from his account.

Synonyms

• Mobiltelefon
• Natel (Switzerland)

Derived terms

• handyfrei
• Handyvertrag

Further reading

• “Handy” in Duden online

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Luxembourgish

Etymology

Via German Handy from English handy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhændi/

Noun

Handy m (plural Handyen)

1. mobile phone, mobile

   Hien däerf den Handy vu sengem eelere Brudder benotzen.

   He may use his elder brother's mobile phone.