SMS

abbreviation or noun

ˌes-ˌem-ˈes 

: a technology for sending short text messages between mobile phones

Although driven by teens and young adults who seemingly aren't satisfied with online instant messaging, SMS can be very useful for sending urgent messages to family members or co-workers.

—Consumer Reports

—often used before another noun

Creative, colorful, and sometimes perplexing, emoji add energy to SMS messages.

—Christina Bonnington

also : a message sent using this technology : text message

… is helping to test a device that implants sensors in cows to let farmers know when they are in heat. When that is the case, the device sends an SMS to the farmer's phone.

—John Tagliabue

Examples of SMS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If your company isn't using SMS to converse with customers, now is the time to make that a customer experience differentiator that can increase conversions. —David Tal, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024

Paperless Post had a 35% increase in the number of wedding guests receiving invites using SMS from 2023 to 2024. —April Rubin, Axios, 18 Aug. 2024

Its Cellular at Sea service operates over a satellite connection so users can make phone calls, browse the internet and send and receive messages – including SMS. —Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2024

Its scam messages are sent using SMS or Apple’s iMessage, the latter being encrypted. —Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Short Message Service

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above