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firmware

American  
[furm-wair] / ˈfɜrmˌwɛər /

noun

Computers.

  1. a microprogram stored in ROM, designed to implement a function that had previously been provided in software.

firmware British  
/ ˈfɜːmˌwɛə /

noun

  1. computing a fixed form of software programmed into a read-only memory

"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 firmware

First recorded in 1965–70; firm 1 + (soft)ware

Vocabulary lists containing firmware

Computer Science and Technology - High School

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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.

Check the firmware number next to the field labeled Firmware Version.

From The Verge • Oct. 6, 2021

These games all run on the Supdrive Virtual Firmware, a toolkit that allows games to be written in concise instructions that are gas friendly and ideal for on-chain storage.

From The Verge • Aug. 19, 2021

Up until Firmware Update 3.21 in late 2010, the PlayStation 3 offered OtherOS – effectively, Linux support on the PlayStation, allowing the console to be repurposed for various non-gaming applications.

From Forbes • Feb. 21, 2013

Elections Assistance Commission, the body tasked with certifying electronic voting and tabulation systems at the federal level, dated February 8, 2012 entitled “Software and Firmware modifications are not de minimis changes.”

From Salon • Nov. 5, 2012

Sony's response was to issue Firmware update v3.21, which disabled Other OS, removing the Linux fuctionality and closing the system to home coders.

From The Guardian • Jan. 7, 2011

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.