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software.

Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM).

8 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈsɒf(t)ˌwɛə/Received-Pronunciation/ˈsɔf(t)ˌwɛɹ/General-American/ˈsɑf(t)ˌwɛɹ/General-American, cot-caught-merger, dialectal/ˈsɒf(t)ˌwɛɹ/Canada, dialectal
  1. Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM).

    uncountable · usually
    Some software will only run on a particular platform.
  2. The human beings involved in warfare, as opposed to hardware such as weapons and vehicles.

    uncountable · usually
  3. Recorded music content, as opposed to the hardware necessary for reproducing it.

    dated · uncountable · usually
  4. Soft goods, such as textiles.

    archaic · uncountable · usually
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Germanic *samþuz /*samftuz Proto-Indo-European *-yos Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Germanic *-jaz Proto-West Germanic *-ī Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) Old English sōfte Middle English softe English soft Proto-Germanic *warō Proto-West Germanic *waru Old English waru Middle English ware English -ware English software Computing sense from soft + -ware, by contrast with hardware (“the computer itself”). Coined by John Tukey in 1958. The earlier sense of software to mean tangible products with a soft texture may have fallen out of common usage before the computing sense was created.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.