software
Part of speech: noun
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: computing
engineering
government
mathematics
military
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
politics
sciences
war
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *sem-
Proto-Germanic *samþuz /*samftuz
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.
Base: soft
Affixes: -ware
Inflected forms:
form: software
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: softwares
pos: noun
tags: nonstandard
plural
Senses:
gloss: Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM).
pos: noun
tags: uncountable
usually
examples: Some software will only run on a particular platform.
The "software" comprising the carefully planned interpretive routines, compilers, and other aspects of automative programming are at least as important to the modern electronic calculator as its "hardware" of tubes, transistors, wires, tapes and the like.
As originally conceived, the word "software" was merely an obvious way to distinguish a program from the computer itself. A program comprised sequences of changeable instructions each having the power to command the behavior of the permanently crafted machinery, the "hardware."
Cris “Space Rogue” Thomas, another ex-L0pht member who testified alongside Zatko that day, said that L0pht would do everything it could to get companies to collaboratively fix software issues the hacker group found.
gloss: The human beings involved in warfare, as opposed to hardware such as weapons and vehicles.
pos: noun
tags: uncountable
usually
examples: The Americans have devoted their attention to the hardware of disarmament: Europeans can make a special contribution to the 'software' or human content of detente.
[…] preview of horrific images to come, as the hardware stage of the war yields to the software — or human — stage.
gloss: Recorded music content, as opposed to the hardware necessary for reproducing it.
pos: noun
tags: dated
uncountable
usually
examples: […] an extremely long playing time is achieved, which might be unnecessary from a software point of view
There seems to be a growing trend towards endorsement of the C-DAD system by equipment manufacturers and "software" (recorded material) producers around the world.
Software availability will probably be a significant problem for at least the first few months of the system's commercial life. At present there are only two CD pressing plants in operation, CBS/Sony's in Japan and PolyGram's in Germany.
PLENTIFUL SOFTWARE
Compact Disc already has support from the recording studios. Many familiar labels appear on these shining silver discs, so that a wide choice of music from the world's leading artistes is available.
It should be noted that there are industry observers who feel that the whole concept of individually owned music software could become obsolete, and that in the future no digital consumer medium will exist. Instead, the listener will pay for a cable service whereby he can call up musical selections from a vast central electronic memory—a sort of library of music.
Anders als bei Videorecordern […] war mit Blick auf die völlige Abhängigkeit von vorgefertigter Musik-Software die Einführung gleich mehrerer neuer Tonträgersysteme nicht zu erwarten.
gloss: Soft goods, such as textiles.
pos: noun
tags: archaic
uncountable
usually
examples: In fact, under the heads of hardware, software, and agriculture, the leading interests of the colony might be said to be grouped.
Drop into the first emporium you pass, whether of hardware or software, of dry goods or wet goods, and note how comparatively few of the articles displayed represent really original ideas
We have wheat "kings" and cotton "kings" and coal "kings"; railroad "kings", stationary engine "kings", and Mr Ford; "kings" in the realms of hardware, software, sectional bookcases, crime, and canned tomatoes.
Synonyms: program
software
app
Related words: firmware
hardware
software assurance
software crisis
software engineering
software state
vaporware
application
assembler
assembly
bug
code
coding
compilation
compiler
debugging
interpreter
linker
linking
open source
patch
programming
script
utilities
warez
computer
GUI
programming language
executable
source code
widget
Derived words: adware
application software
applications software
biosoftware
bloatware
collaborative software
docketing software
firmware
free software
freeware
hardware
intersoftware
kitchen table software
kitchen-table software
libre software
malware
Microsoft
microsoftware
neurosoftware
non-free software
nonsoftware
presentation software
retroware
schlockware
service as a software substitute
shareware
softbot
softlifting
softmodem
softography
softphone
software archaeology
software architect
software architecture
software configuration management
software container
software defined radio
software deployment
software developer
software engine
software engineer
software escrow
software forge
software framework
software house
softwareless
software lifecycle
software life cycle
softwarematically
software package
software rot
softwarey
softwarily
softwarization
softworks
spyware
system software
systems software
telesoftware
time-tracking software
-ware
wetware
zombie software
Translations: