telephone operator

telephone operator (plural telephone operators)

1. A person who operates a telephone switchboard.
   • 1942 July-August, T. F. Cameron, “How the Staff of a Railway is Recruited”, in Railway Magazine, page 207:

     Since the outbreak of war women have been recruited for many grades of railway work. The number of women clerks has been increased greatly, and women are performing invaluable work as porters, motor drivers, carriage cleaners, and telephone operators, as well as in a variety of other capacities.

2. A person who provides assistance in establishing a connection, or who provides information or takes messages via the telephone.

• telephonist