videophone n.

a telephone incorporating a video screen on which the other person may be seen speaking

Communications

1944 R. E. Lee Television v. 83
We shall undoubtedly see videophones replacing telephones in common usage.
1945 A. E. van Vogt World of Null-A in Astounding Science Fiction Aug. 9/2 A. E. van Vogt
He closed the door, fastened the three plasto-windows and put a tracer on his videophone.
1948 A. E. van Vogt in Astounding Science Fiction Oct. 18/1 A. E. van Vogt
He looked for a message that might have been left for him, a more complete and personal account than could be intrusted to the videophone exchange.
1951 C.L. Moore No Woman Born in ‘M. Leinster’ Great Stories Science Fiction 185
Toward evening he surrendered and called Maltzer’s apartment by videophone.
1966 I. Asimov Key in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Oct. 30/2 Isaac Asimov
Ashley rose. ‘Where is your videophone?’ ‘In the next room.’
2005 R. J. Sawyer Mindscan xxxiv. 246 Robert J. Sawyer
The videophone was signaling an incoming call.

Research requirements

antedating 1944

Earliest cite

a book about television

Research History

Mike Christie submitted a 1948 cite from A.E. van Vogt's "The Players of Null-A". Mike Christie submitted a 1945 cite from A.E. van Vogt's "World of Null-A".

The OED's citation is from a 1955 reprint of C. L. Moore's "No Woman Born". Mike Christie checked the original 1944 publication, and the term was not used there: Jeff Prucher found that the term was not used in a 1948 reprint, but does appear in a 1951 reprint.

OED subsequently found a 1944 example in a non-SF context. We would love to find an earlier example from a SF source.

Last modified 2020-12-16 04:08:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.