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firewall
or fire wall
[ fahyuhr-wawl ]
/ ˈfaɪərˌwɔl /
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noun
a partition made of fireproof material to prevent the spread of a fire from one part of a building or ship to another or to isolate an engine compartment, as on a plane, automobile, etc.
a person, thing, or event that acts as a barrier or protection against something undesirable: The new employee handbook should create a firewall against unethical business conduct.
Digital Technology. an integrated collection of security measures designed to prevent unauthorized electronic access to a networked computer system.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of firewall
An Americanism dating back to 1750–60
Words nearby firewall
firetrap, fire truck, fire-tube boiler, fire up, fire walking, firewall, firewarden, fire watcher, firewater, fireweed, FireWire
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use firewall in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for firewall
firewall
noun
a fireproof wall or partition used to impede the progress of a fire, as from one room or compartment to another
computing a computer system that isolates another computer from the internet in order to prevent unauthorized access
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
Scientific definitions for firewall
firewall
[ fîr′wôl′ ]
A software program or hardware device that restricts communication between a private network or computer system and outside networks.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for firewall
firewall
A means of separating a computer network from outside networks for security purposes. A server outside an organization's own network may be used to funnel all incoming and outgoing traffic to assist in keeping out viruses, as well as to prevent unauthorized outsiders from gaining access to a network.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.