Software
nounThe programs and instructions that tell a computer how to work, as distinct from the physical machine.
How to spell software
8 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce software
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does software mean?
- nounThe programs and instructions that tell a computer how to work, as distinct from the physical machine.
Software in a sentence
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The accounting team installed new software to track expenses.
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A security flaw in the software left thousands of users exposed.
Where does software come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
This word is a modern English compound, coined in the early 1960s as the natural counterpart to 'hardware'. The first element, 'soft', descends from the Old English 'softe', meaning gentle, smooth, or yielding, while 'ware' comes from the Old English 'waru', meaning goods or merchandise, the same element found in 'hardware', 'kitchenware', and 'silverware'. Computer engineers needed a term for the programs and instructions that run a machine, as opposed to the physical, tangible 'hard' components, so they reached for the playful contrast of 'soft'. The word appeared in print in the United States around 1960 and spread rapidly as computing entered ordinary life. Because both parts are everyday English words joined without any change in spelling, the compound is unusually transparent and rarely causes spelling trouble.
How the word is built
- soft (from Old English softe: gentle, easy)
- ware (from Old English waru: goods, merchandise)
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