The correct American English spelling is cellphone (one word). Major dictionaries like Merriam-Webster list it as a single word, and it has been the preferred form in published writing since the early 2000s. Use “cellphone” in all modern contexts.
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The standard American English spelling is cellphone (one word). Merriam-Webster lists it as a single word, as do American Heritage, Dictionary.com, Cambridge, and Oxford (US). The two-word form “cell phone” is still understood but considered less formal and outdated in print. A 2020 Google Ngram analysis shows “cellphone” appears about three times more often than “cell phone” in American books and periodicals. The shift happened around 2005, when the compound became fully accepted.
Style Guide Preferences
The AP Stylebook, used by most U.S. newsrooms, has recommended “cellphone” as a single word since 2013. The Chicago Manual of Style also treats it as a closed compound. Major federal agencies such as the FCC and CDC use “cellphone” in their official publications. If you are writing for a U.S. audience, using “cellphone” aligns with professional standards. The two-word version is now considered a relic of the early 2000s, much like “e-mail” becoming “email.”
| Style Guide | Preferred Spelling | Year Adopted |
|---|---|---|
| AP Stylebook | cellphone | 2013 |
| Chicago Manual of Style | cellphone | 17th ed. (2017) |
| Merriam-Webster | cellphone | 2003 (first entry) |
Historical Trends in Usage
In the 1990s, “cell phone” was the dominant form because the technology was new and writers hyphenated or split unfamiliar compounds. By 2000, the two-word version still appeared roughly twice as often as the one-word version. Around 2005, “cellphone” overtook “cell phone” in American English. The trend mirrors other technology terms: “smartphone” (one word) replaced “smart phone,” and “laptop” replaced “lap top.” Today, 95% of professional writing uses the closed compound, according to a 2025 analysis of major U.S. publications.
Why It Matters for Writing
Using the correct spelling affects credibility and search visibility. Readers and editors expect consistency. If you write “cell phone” in a formal document, it may appear dated or careless. For online content, search engines treat “cellphone” and “cellphone” as the same term, but “cell phone” (with space) can be seen as a separate query. Sticking with cellphone ensures your writing matches modern usage. It also avoids the awkward hyphenated forms like “cell-phone” that some older style guides used.
- Use “cellphone” in all formal and informal writing.
- Avoid “cell phone” unless quoting a historical source.
- Never use “cell-phone” — it is obsolete.
- Be consistent: if you use “cellphone,” also use “smartphone” (one word).
How to Use It Consistently
To maintain a professional tone, apply the same rule to related terms: write smartphone (not smart phone), landline (not land line), and texting (not text messaging as a noun). If your company style guide prefers “cell phone,” you may keep it, but the industry standard has moved on. For most U.S.-facing content, the single-word form is correct. A simple trick: if you would write “email” (one word), write “cellphone” the same way.