softphonen.
/ˈsɒf(t)fəʊn/, U.S. /ˈsɔf(t)ˌfoʊn/, /ˈsɑf(t)ˌfoʊn/ Computing.
A piece of software that enables a computer to be used to make and receive telephone calls over the internet.
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1994 PC Mag. 31 May (Network Ed. Suppl.) 57/1 Softphones. There is a rage right now for software-controlled telephones.
2001 Financial Times 20 June (IT Suppl.) p. iv/8 Cisco has found that in the office people still prefer to use a separate IP handset than a so-called softphone.
2007 T. Porter & M. Gough How to cheat at VoIP Security ii. 35 Consumer softphones have exploded over the past few years and nothing is hotter than Skype in that space.
2012 Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 8 Apr. (Business 380 Suppl.) 3/3 Your laptop or iPad can have an inexpensive application installed that allows you to use the device as a phone (called a softphone).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1994