wireless

American  

[wahyuhr-lis] / ˈwaɪər lɪs /

adjective

1. having no wire.

2. noting or pertaining to any of various devices that are operated with or actuated by electromagnetic waves.

3. Chiefly British. radio.

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noun

1. wireless telegraphy or telephony.

2. a wireless telegraph or telephone, or the like.

3. any system or device, as a cell phone, for transmitting messages or signals by electromagnetic waves.

4. a wireless message.

5. Chiefly British. radio.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to telegraph or telephone by wireless.

wireless British  

/ ˈwaɪəlɪs /

adjective

1. communicating without connecting wires or other material contacts

   wireless networks

   wireless internet connection

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noun

1. old-fashioned another word for radio

Other Word Forms

• prewireless adjective
• wirelessly adverb
• wirelessness noun

Etymology

Origin of wireless

First recorded in 1890–95; wire + -less

Example Sentences

Wilson was whisked to the capital in an unmarked police car, which was "in wireless communication with headquarters", according to the Nottingham Post newspaper.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

That could reignite worries about fierce competition from fixed wireless and fiber connection services.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

More AT&T customers are choosing to bundle internet and wireless services.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

AT&T refers to this trend as convergence and noted Wednesday that nearly 45% of advanced home-internet subscribers — those not on legacy copper-based networks — also opted for AT&T wireless.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Maddie uncurled the gripping earphones and microphone and passed her headset to the pretty little blond wireless operator, who adjusted the phones to fit her head.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein