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wi-fi

/ˈwaɪ.faɪ/noun

wi-fi is a noun meaning “Alternative spelling of Wi-Fi” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled W-I-F-I and has 2 syllables.

What does wi-fi mean?

noun

  1. 1

    Alternative spelling of Wi-Fi.

noun

as Wi-Fi
  1. 1

    Any of several standards for short-range wireless data transmission (IEEE 802.11).

  2. 2

    Wireless networking using one of these standards.

    Mimi gave Fifi access to her Wi-Fi.

  3. 3

    informalThe capability to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

    The refrigerator cost 1000 more dollars just because it had Wi-Fi, and I'm thinking "this is ridiculous"!

  4. 4

    A Wi-Fi network.

verb

as Wi-Fi
  1. 1

    To equip with Wi-Fi; to Wi-Fi enable.

  2. 2

    To connect to the Internet using Wi-Fi.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How do you pronounce wi-fi?

  • /ˈwaɪ.faɪ/
  • /ˈwaɪ.faɪ/
  • /ˈwaɪ.paɪ/

Wi-fi has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-wifi.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of wi-fi

  • wifi

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Words people confuse with wi-fi

Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).

wi-fi vs wifi140 G

Also written: wifi (one word or two).

Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

Wi-fi in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

In the sense computing: wireless data communication standard:

LanguageWords
FrenchWi-Fi, connexion sans fil
GermanWLAN, Wi-Fi, kabellose Netzverbindung
PortugueseWi-Fi, conexão sem fio, conexão sem fios
Spanishwifi

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does wi-fi come from?

Coined in analogy to Hi-Fi as a trade name developed for the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (later Wi-Fi Alliance). Often analyzed as a shortened form of wireless fidelity (similar to how hi-fi is short for high fidelity); this is possibly due to the former slogan of the aforementioned Wi-Fi Alliance, The Standard for Wireless Fidelity.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).