firmware

IPA/ˈfɜːmweə(r)/
KK[fˈɚmwˌɛr]IPA/ˈfɜːrmwer/

firmware — noun

1. software stored permanently inside an electronic device that controls how it run

1.nounC1
Definition

software stored permanently inside an electronic device that controls how it runs its basic functions, such as starting up or communicating with other equipment

Example

Ravi updated the router's firmware to fix a security problem.

update + firmware to fix [problem]

The printer's firmware controls how it handles different paper sizes.

firmware controls how [device] handles [feature]

Common collocations
  • update firmware
  • upgrade firmware
  • install firmware
  • flash firmware
  • download firmware
  • write firmware
  • firmware update
  • firmware version
  • firmware bug
  • firmware release
Synonyms
  • embedded software

    broader term that includes firmware but also covers software on other embedded systems

  • microcode

    more technical; refers to a lower layer of instructions that the processor itself executes

Antonyms
  • hardware

    the physical components of a device, as opposed to the permanent software instructions

Usage Note

Firmware is uncountable — do not write 'a firmware'. Use 'a firmware update' or 'a piece of firmware' for a specific instance. The verb 'flash' is also common: 'flash the firmware' means to install or update it.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a firmware for my phone.
I need to update the firmware on my phone.
Firmware is uncountable and is rarely 'bought'; it is updated or installed.
My camera needs a new firmware.
My camera needs a firmware update.
Use 'firmware update' rather than treating 'firmware' as a countable noun.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Firmware, software, hardware, and driver are often confused by learners but refer to different things. Hardware is the physical device you can touch (the circuit board, the screen). Software is any program or set of instructions that runs on a device — it can be installed, removed, or changed freely. Firmware is a special type of software that is permanently stored on a hardware chip inside the device; unlike regular software, it is not meant to be changed often and controls the device's basic level functions. A driver is a specific piece of software that helps the operating system communicate with a hardware component, such as a printer or a graphics card. For example: 'I updated the printer driver' means you changed the communication layer, while 'I updated the printer firmware' means you changed the core instructions stored inside the printer itself.

firmware ↗software ↗hardware ↗driver ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • firmware update
  • firmware version
  • device firmware
  • firmware release

Prepositions

Etymology

English

Firmware is a blend of 'firm' (meaning fixed or stable) and 'software'. It was coined in the late 1960s by computer scientist Ascher Opler to describe software instructions stored permanently in read-only memory, as opposed to regular software that could be changed easily. The 'firm' part emphasises that the code is not easily altered.