wireless

1.adjectiveA2

Definition

describes devices or systems that use radio signals instead of physical cables or wires to send and receive data

Example

Caio bought a pair of wireless headphones for his morning runs.

collocation: wireless headphones

The museum offers free wireless internet to all its visitors.

collocation: wireless internet

Common collocations

wireless headphones
wireless network
wireless connection
wireless internet
wireless charging
wireless router
wireless printer
wireless device
wireless technology
wireless speaker
wireless mouse
wireless keyboard
wireless earbuds

Synonyms

cordless
usually refers to devices that run on a battery within a short range of a base station, like a cordless phone or drill
radio-based
more technical; used when emphasising the transmission medium rather than the absence of wires

Antonyms

wired
requires physical cables or wires to function
cabled
connected by cables rather than radio signals

Common Mistakes

I use wire-less earphones when I run.

I use wireless earphones when I run.

'Wireless' is always written as one word, not hyphenated.

1.nounB1

Definition

a piece of electronic equipment that receives sound broadcasts transmitted through the air, now considered somewhat old-fashioned

Example

My grandmother still listens to the news on the wireless every evening.

dated register: on the wireless

Henrik found an old wooden wireless in the attic that belonged to his great-grandfather.

countable noun with indefinite article

Common collocations

on the wireless
hear something on the wireless
listen to the wireless
a crackly wireless

Synonyms

radio
the standard modern term for the same device; 'wireless' is dated by comparison
receiver
more technical; refers specifically to the component that picks up the signal

Usage Note

Dated sense, used mainly by older speakers in British English. In modern American English the word 'radio' is almost always used instead.

Common Mistakes

She turned on the wire-less to hear the weather.

She turned on the wireless to hear the weather.

The noun meaning 'radio' is never hyphenated.

2.nounA2

Definition

a way of connecting computers and other devices to the Internet or to each other using radio signals instead of cables, often used informally to mean a Wi-Fi connection

Example

The cafe has free wireless, so students often study there with their laptops.

uncountable: 'free wireless'

Cyrus reset the router to fix the slow wireless connection throughout the house.

Common collocations

free wireless
wireless password
wireless signal
high-speed wireless
public wireless
use the wireless
have wireless
wireless access
the wireless is down

Synonyms

Wi-Fi
used interchangeably in casual speech, though Wi-Fi is a specific brand/standard of wireless networking
Wi-Fi connection
more precise; specifies that the wireless uses the Wi-Fi protocol
broadband
refers to a high-speed Internet connection, which may be wired or wireless

Antonyms

wired connection
a connection that uses Ethernet cables rather than radio signals
dial-up
an older, slower form of Internet access that uses telephone lines

Usage Note

Often used interchangeably with 'Wi-Fi' in everyday conversation, though technically Wi-Fi is a specific type of wireless networking standard.

Common Mistakes

Does this hotel have wirelesses?

Does this hotel have wireless?

When referring to wireless internet access, the noun is uncountable and does not take a plural form.

The wireless in the library is very quick.

The wireless in the library is very fast.

'Fast' or 'good' are natural collocations for connection speed; 'quick' describes how fast an action happens.

Word family

wire
nounA2
wired
adjectiveB1
wirelessly
adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe communication without physical wires, but they differ in scope and context. 'Wireless' is the broadest modern term, covering everything from Bluetooth headphones to satellite links. 'Cordless' has a narrower meaning: it typically describes a single device that runs on a rechargeable battery within a short range of a base station, such as a cordless phone or a cordless vacuum cleaner — you would not say 'cordless internet'. 'Radio-based' is a more technical term that emphasises the transmission medium rather than the absence of wires; engineers might describe a system as radio-based when the frequencies or protocols matter. 'Wi-Fi' is a specific trademarked wireless networking standard, though many people use it casually as a synonym for any wireless Internet connection. In short, if you mean any device or system that works without cables, use 'wireless'; if you mean a phone or tool that stays near a charging base, use 'cordless'; and if you mean the home network standard, use 'Wi-Fi'.

wireless ↗cordless ↗radio-basedWi-Fi

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

free wireless
high-speed wireless
public wireless

Prepositions

via wireless
over wireless

Etymology

EnglishEnglish

The word 'wireless' was formed in English around the late 1800s by combining the noun 'wire' with the suffix '-less', meaning 'without wires'. It was first used to describe early radio communication, which sent signals through the air without the telegraph wires that were standard at the time. For decades, people called a radio set 'a wireless'. Today, the term has been revived in a broader sense to describe any modern technology that transmits data by radio waves — from Wi-Fi routers to Bluetooth earphones.

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wireless

wireless — adjective

1. describes devices or systems that use radio signals instead of physical cables o

Common Mistakes

wireless — noun

1. a piece of electronic equipment that receives sound broadcasts transmitted throu

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a way of connecting computers and other devices to the Internet or to each other

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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