wifi

IPA/ˈwaɪ.faɪ/
KK[wˈaɪfˌaɪ]IPA/ˈwaɪ.faɪ/

wifi — noun

1. A technology that lets phones, computers, and other devices reach the internet a

1.nounB1
Definition

A technology that lets phones, computers, and other devices reach the internet and share data through radio signals, without needing a physical cable.

Example

Sofie asked the café owner for the wifi password before ordering her coffee.

collocation: wifi password

The hotel's wifi was so slow that Takeshi could not join his video meeting.

Common collocations
  • wifi password
  • wifi signal
  • free wifi
  • public wifi
  • connect to wifi
Synonyms
  • wireless network

    broader term; includes any network without cables, not only wifi

  • Wi-Fi

    identical in meaning; the trademarked spelling with a hyphen and capitals

  • WLAN

    technical abbreviation used in IT contexts, less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • Ethernet

    wired network technology that uses physical cables instead of radio signals

  • wired connection

    any internet connection that uses a cable rather than wireless signals

Grammar Patterns

connect to wifi

wifi + network/connection/signal/password

Usage Note

Uncountable in standard use: you say 'the wifi is slow,' not 'a slow wifi.' The original trademarked spelling is Wi-Fi (with a hyphen and capital letters), but wifi (all lowercase, no hyphen) is now common in everyday writing.

Common Mistakes

The wifi are down.
The wifi is down.
wifi is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
I bought a new wifi.
I bought a new wifi router.' or 'I got a new wifi connection.
wifi refers to the signal or service; the device that sends it is a router or access point.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Wifi is the most common technology for wireless internet access in homes, offices, and public spaces. Wireless is a broader term — anything that works without cables, including Bluetooth speakers and radio — while wifi refers specifically to the networking standard. Bluetooth connects devices directly to each other over very short distances (a few metres); wifi connects devices to a network and the internet, covering a whole building. A hotspot is a physical location or a portable device that provides wifi access, not the technology itself. Ethernet is the wired alternative: it uses a cable plugged into a port, giving a faster and more stable connection than wifi. For example, a gamer might choose Ethernet for low latency, but switch to wifi when moving around the house with a laptop.

wireless ↗Bluetooth ↗hotspot ↗Ethernet ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • wifi network
  • wifi connection
  • wifi hotspot
  • wifi router

Phrases

  • connect to wifi
  • free wifi
  • public wifi
  • wifi access

Prepositions

  • over wifi
  • via wifi

Etymology

English

The word Wi-Fi was created in 1999 by the brand consultancy Interbrand, hired by the Wi-Fi Alliance to name their new wireless networking standard. It was modelled on the earlier term hi-fi (high fidelity) but does not officially stand for 'wireless fidelity.' Within a few years, as laptops and home routers became widespread, the word entered everyday language around the world. The spelling wifi (all lowercase, no hyphen) is now widely accepted in informal use.