There are 2 main definitions of fax in English:

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fax1

Syllabification: fax
Pronunciation: /faks
 
/

noun

1An image of a document made by electronic scanning and transmitted as data by telecommunication links.
Example sentences
  • We will be able to deal with e-mail contact, electronic faxes and text messages from a mobile phone.
  • If the reporter needs to rewrite or edit the release, it is much easier to edit an electronic message than to retype a fax or a hard copy of the release.
  • The U.S. Embassy officials presented the copy of the fax at Friday's hearing.
1.1The production or transmission of faxes: he received the report by fax
More example sentences
  • She consults by fax on production details and quality problems (the display includes color photocopies of works in progress).
  • This time, however, it comes bouncing down the satellite phone, and by fax and email.
  • In the old days it was all done on paper: Scouts would send in reports from games in the field by mail or fax, and the reports would be filed into thick binders.
1.2 (also fax machine) A machine for transmitting and receiving faxes.
Example sentences
  • All of a sudden, the fax machine beeped and the document printed out.
  • Till now, you had to own a special machine - a fax machine, which was only made to send and receive faxes.
  • There needs to evidence of local demand and the supplier must have a fax machine to receive orders.

verb

[with object] Back to top  
1Send (a document) by fax.
Example sentences
  • Almost overnight the demand for our services plummeted as customers began faxing their documents rather than sending them by courier.
  • The fax transmission details indicate that the document was faxed at 4.34 pm on 12 October.
  • It is for this reason that I did not fax this document or direct that it be faxed.
1.1Contact (someone) by fax: to obtain a brochure, fax the agent [no object]: the best way to order materials was to fax
More example sentences
  • Further details may be obtained by phoning or faxing him.
  • This can be a big problem especially when some less than honest fax marketing companies have been known to fake phone logs to pretend they had permission to fax people.
  • People should write to their MP rather than fax him.

Origin

1940s.: abbreviation of facsimile.

More
  • facsimile from (late 16th century):

    This was originally written fac simile, meaning the making of an exact copy, usually a copy of a piece of writing. It is modern Latin, from Latin fac ‘make’ and simile ‘like’. The abbreviation fax dates from the 1940s.

Words that rhyme with fax

axe (US ax), Backs, Bax, flax, lax, max, pax, Sachs, sax, saxe, tax, wax

Definition of fax in:

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There are 2 main definitions of fax in English:

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fax2

Line breaks: fax

Entry from British & World English dictionary

plural noun

Non-standard spelling of ‘facts’: food fax

Definition of fax in:

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