firmware

noun

firm·​ware ˈfərm-ˌwer 

: computer programs contained permanently in a hardware device (such as a read-only memory)

Examples of firmware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some Samsung smart fridges stopped working on Tuesday due to a firmware update. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026

Customers across South Korea found that their almost $4,000 appliance suddenly shut down after a faulty firmware update, turning them into an expensive — and fresh food ruining — brick. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 23 Sep. 2026

Perhaps more unusually at this price, the firmware is open source, with JetKVM saying its new ESP32 firmware will be available from day one. — New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2026

Hardware or firmware that has already been used and studied in academic or institutional settings can be a sensible place to start, particularly when there is published technical evidence and an experienced user community behind it. — Aaron Timm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for firmware

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

firmware

noun

firm·​ware ˈfərm-ˌwa(ə)r 

-ˌwe(ə)r

: computer programs contained permanently in a hardware device (as a read-only memory)