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

wirelesses plural

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

Derived Forms

• wirelessness
  noun
• prewireless
  adjective
• wirelessly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• wirelesses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wireless

First recorded in 1890–95; wire + -less

Example Sentences

But the U.S. wireless carriers aren’t waiting to be cut out of their own business.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

T-Mobile aims to buy fiber-internet operators in the U.S. to compete with AT&T and Verizon and offer bundled wireless and home internet to more customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

The company, however, is already thinking of that with laser meshing technology and wireless spectrum acquisitions.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

Not to be taken for granted at this price point, the GV80 supports wireless connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

You have to understand that I never would have used the library computers in the first place, except they block the wireless here.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli