firmware

noun

firm·​ware ˈfərm-ˌwer How to pronounce firmware (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When malware arrives embedded in the firmware, the owner has very little control. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The bug, reported by 9to5Google and several Reddit users over the last week, may be caused by the speakers failing to correctly download and install a firmware update, with one Redditor finding that his device was consuming more than 200GB per day. — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026 Firmware fun Flashing the firmware to the Arduino should be the easy part, but this is when things started falling apart for me. — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026 Then, in August, the White House issued a more expansive executive order banning foreign inverters, transformers, battery storage, generators, and software and firmware. — IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for firmware

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of firmware was in 1967

Rhymes for firmware

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Browse Nearby Words

firm up
firmware
firn
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Cite this Entry

“Firmware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firmware. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

firmware

noun
firm·​ware ˈfərm-ˌwa(ə)r How to pronounce firmware (audio)
-ˌwe(ə)r
: computer programs contained permanently in a hardware device (as a read-only memory)

More from Merriam-Webster on firmware

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about firmware

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