noun
A somewhat dated term for a female telephone switchboard operator. The kanji 交換 refers to the switching/exchange function, and 嬢 is a suffix for young women in certain occupational roles.
昔の電話交換手は「交換嬢」と呼ばれることもあった。
In the past, telephone switchboard operators were sometimes called '交換嬢'.
A more common and gender-neutral term for a telephone switchboard operator. 交換嬢 specifically refers to a female operator and is less frequently used today.
Compound of 交換 (こうかん, 'exchange, switching') and 嬢 (じょう, a suffix for young women in certain roles). The term likely arose in the early to mid-20th century when telephone switchboard operation was a common occupation for young women.