noun

Wi-Fi

WY-fy

Quiz me More like this

Wi-Fi (noun) means a technology that lets devices such as phones, laptops and televisions connect to a network, and usually to the internet, using radio signals instead of cables. Example: “The café has free Wi-Fi, but you have to ask at the counter for the password.”

noun

A technology that lets devices such as phones, laptops and televisions connect to a network, and usually to the internet, using radio signals instead of cables.

"The café has free Wi-Fi, but you have to ask at the counter for the password."

"My laptop dropped off the Wi-Fi halfway through the meeting."

The signal or connection itself, as experienced by a user in a particular place.

"The Wi-Fi upstairs is terrible compared with the ground floor."

How to use Wi-Fi

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe wireless way your phone or laptop gets online without a cable.

When to use it

Everyday and universal. The official styling is Wi-Fi with a hyphen and capitals, but wifi and WiFi are extremely common in informal writing.

Memory tip

Wi-Fi is uncountable: say "the Wi-Fi is slow", not "the Wi-Fis are slow".

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

internet → broadband → hotspot → Bluetooth → Ethernet →

Common pairings

free Wi-Fi Wi-Fi password Wi-Fi network connect to Wi-Fi Wi-Fi router public Wi-Fi

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like Wi-Fi.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “Wi-Fi” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The café has free _____, but you have to ask at the counter for the password.

Etymology

A brand name adopted by the industry group that certifies compatible wireless equipment. It is a coined trade name rather than an abbreviation, though it plays on the older term hi-fi.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

wireless WLAN wireless networking wireless internet wireless signal connection reception

Antonyms

Ethernet wired networking

Related words

relationship radio contact response association link connection reaction

Rhymes for Wi-Fi

fifi

See all rhymes for Wi-Fi →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Wi-Fi and the internet?

Wi-Fi is only the last, wireless step between your device and a router in the building. The internet is the global network your router reaches through a broadband line, fibre or mobile connection. That is why you can be connected to Wi-Fi and still have no internet access, if the line beyond the router is down.

Is Wi-Fi the same as broadband?

No. Broadband is the service that brings a connection into the property, usually over a cable or fibre line. Wi-Fi is the wireless method of sharing that connection with devices inside the property.

What do 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz mean on a Wi-Fi network?

They are two different radio frequency bands a router can use. The 2.4 GHz band generally travels further and passes through walls more easily, while the 5 GHz band typically carries more data over shorter distances. Many routers offer both.

What is the meaning of Wi-Fi?

"Wi-Fi" (noun) means a technology that lets devices such as phones, laptops and televisions connect to a network, and usually to the internet, using radio signals instead of cables.

People also searched

relationship radio contact response association link connection reaction