What does firewall mean?
Word: Firewall
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Firewall means a computer program or device that blocks harmful or unwanted traffic from reaching a computer or network. It is also a solid wall built to stop a fire spreading.
How do you spell firewall?
Syllables: fire - wall
Tricky part: Keep the e that ends the first part, and finish with a double l. Firwall and firewal are the two usual slips.
Watch out for: firwall, firewal
Memory tip: Picture a brick wall with flames on one side and your laptop safe on the other. Keep the e before the w, and close the word with two l's.
Firewall in a sentence
Example 1: The school firewall stops students from opening gaming sites in the computer lab.
Example 2: Papa said the firewall blocked a strange email attachment.
Example 3: Big buildings have thick firewalls to stop a fire spreading from one part to the next.
Fun Fact
Network firewalls first appeared in the late 1980s, when companies began linking their computers to the growing internet.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) firewall
b) keybord
c) pasword
d) sofware
Show answer
a) firewall. Software, keyboard and password are the right spellings, so firewall is the only one spelt correctly.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
f_rew_ll
a) y, a
b) i, o
c) i, a
d) e, a
Show answer
c) i, a. A short i comes after the f, and the a sounds as it does in tall.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
lewrailf
a) waterfall
b) firewall
c) fireball
d) wildfire
Show answer
b) firewall. There is no b, d or t among the letters, so only firewall can be made.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Riya's laptop shows: 'Firewall blocked a connection.' What has most probably happened?
a) the screen has become too bright
b) an unknown program tried to get in
c) the battery has almost run out
d) a page was printed twice
Show answer
b) an unknown program tried to get in
2. Firewall joins two whole words. Which word below is built the same way?
a) refill
b) fiery
c) firing
d) fireplace
Show answer
d) fireplace
