Wi-Fi

American  

[wahy-fahy] / ˈwaɪˌfaɪ /

Computers, Trademark.

1. a brand name certifying that a device or other product is compatible with a set of broadband wireless networking standards.

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Wi-Fi British  

/ ˈwaɪˌfaɪ /

noun

1. computing a system of accessing the internet from remote machines such as laptop computers that have wireless connections

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Etymology

Origin of Wi-Fi

First recorded in 1995–2000; wi(reless)-fi(delity), patterned after hi-fi

Example Sentences

Plane-based Wi-Fi is typically a struggle, with dead zones and slow service, depending on how many people are willing to fork over a few dollars to work during a flight.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

Security, because that same encrypted tunnel makes you a much harder target on sketchy coffee-shop Wi-Fi, hotel networks, or any connection you can’t actually trust.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Fast, free Wi-Fi has become a must-have in-flight amenity for passengers in recent years.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

"There's lots of things that we can do that doesn't rely on Wi-Fi."

From BBC • May 21, 2026

I was eleven years old the last time Ma took me to Grandma’s Netflix-less, Wi-Fi desert of an apartment.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer