Okuzeka
Office & Administration vocabulary · Phone Calls & Etiquette

Extension

Meaning in office & administration, with examples

/ɪkˈstenʃən/nounCore term

In office & administration, extension means: An internal phone number connected to a company's main line, which lets callers reach a particular person or desk.

In Turkish: dahili numara, dahili hat, dahili

How it is used

Usually three or four digits, often written ext. or x: "ext. 214". Colleagues call each other directly on their extension. Callers ask "Could I have extension 214, please?" or "Do you know her extension?"

Example sentences

  1. You can reach me directly on extension 3047.

  2. Her extension is busy. Would you like to hold or leave a message?

Common collocations

  • extension number
  • on extension 214
  • direct extension
  • internal extension
  • switchboardThe central phone system of an organisation, or the team that answers the main number and connects callers to the right extension.
  • put throughTo connect a caller to the person or department they want to speak to by transferring the call.
  • voicemailA system that records phone messages when the person you call does not answer; also a message recorded in this way.
  • the line is busyA phrase meaning that the phone you are calling is already in use, so the call cannot be connected right now.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Phone Calls & Etiquette

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