cordless

American

[kawrd-lis] / ˈkɔrd lɪs /

adjective

lacking a cord.
(of an electrical appliance) requiring no wire leading to an external source of electricity because of a self-contained, often rechargeable, power supply; battery-powered.

cordless British

/ ˈkɔːdlɪs /

adjective

(of an electrical device) operated by an internal battery so that no connection to mains supply or other apparatus is needed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cordless

First recorded in 1905–10; cord + -less

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I picked up the cordless phone and dialed a friend.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

The analysts attribute the stronger outlook to favorable point-of-sale demand trends for the cordless tool maker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

The EPA’s Maui method will be used increasingly as Americans rely more heavily on cordless devices, Glenn said, adding : “We love portability, we love being untethered.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025

Over the weekend, I got my first cordless vacuum — a truly game-changing invention — and embarked upon an epic cleaning spree of my entire apartment.

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2023

But of course this didn’t happen, and at last, Pearl snuck the cordless phone from the kitchen counter, ducked outside by the garage, where it was quieter, and called Moody.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023