What Does Ringtone Mean?
A ringtone is the audible sound emitted by a telephone to alert the owner about an incoming call. While a traditional landline phone also sounds a ring tone, the term ringtone is more closely associated with the sound effects or melodies emitted by a mobile phone.
Techopedia Explains Ringtone
When cellular technology was still in its infancy, most cellular phones were only capable of generating monophonic tones. This type of ringtone utilizes basic sequencing technology and creates a series of musical notes played one at a time using a single instrument.