Etymology

Computing sense from soft +‎ -wareCategory:English terms suffixed with -ware (substance, kind, or use)#SOFTWARE, by contrast with hardware (“the computer itself”). Coined by John Tukey in 1958Category:English coinages#SOFTWARE.^[1][2] 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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒf(t)ˌwɛə/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• (General American, without the cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔf(t)ˌwɛɹ/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• (General American, cot–caught merger, dialects of Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑf(t)ˌwɛɹ/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE

  • Audio (California):

    (file)

    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• (Canada, dialects of the US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒf(t)ˌwɛɹ/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔf(t)ˌweː/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• (Indic) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔfʈˌwa(r)/, (non-rhotic, also) /-wer/Category:English 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• Rhymes: -ɒftwɛə(ɹ)Category:Rhymes:English/ɒftwɛə(ɹ)#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:English/ɒftwɛə(ɹ)/2 syllables#SOFTWARE
• Hyphenation: soft‧ware
• Homophone: softwearCategory:English terms with homophones#SOFTWARE

Noun

software (usually uncountable, plural (nonstandard) softwares)Category:English lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:English nouns#SOFTWARECategory:English uncountable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:English countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (computingCategory:en:Computing#SOFTWARE) Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM).

   Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:software

   • 1958, John W. Tukey, "The Teaching of Concrete Mathematics" in The American Mathematical Monthly, vol. 65, no. 1 (Jan. 1958), pp 1-9:

     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.

   • 1995, Paul Niquette, Softword: Provenance for the Word ‘Software’:

     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."

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 2022 October 17, Sean Lyngaas and Clare Duffy, “How a 51-year-old celebrity hacker upended one of the world’s most influential social networks”, in CNN Business‎:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

2. (militaryCategory:en:Military#SOFTWARE) The human beings involved in warfare, as opposed to hardware such as weapons and vehicles.
   • 1989, Christopher Layton, A Step Beyond Fear: Building a European Security Community:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1991, New York Magazine, volume 24, number 5, page 33:

     […] preview of horrific images to come, as the hardware stage of the war yields to the software — or human — stage.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

3. (music industryCategory:en:Music industry#SOFTWARE, datedCategory:English dated terms#SOFTWARE) Recorded music content, as opposed to the hardware necessary for reproducing it.
   • 1979 December 6, Toshi T. Doi, Takashi Itoh, Hiroshi Ogawa, “A Long-Play Digital Audio Disk System”, in Journal of the AES‎, volume 27, number 12, pages 975–981:

     […] an extremely long playing time is achieved, which might be unnecessary from a software point of view

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1982 March, Len Feldman, “Digital Audio Disc”, in Radio-Electronics‎, volume 53, number 3, New York: Gernsback Publications, →ISSN, archived from the original on 9 March 2021, page 41:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1982 December, David Ranada, “Digital Debut: First impressions of the Compact Disc System”, in Stereo Review‎, volume 47, number 12, →ISSN, archived from the original on 9 March 2021, page 69:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1984, CD202 Slimline CD Player (Philips advertising brochure)‎, archived from the original on 31 December 2025:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
   • 1986, Daniel Sweeney, Demystifying Compact Discs: A Guide to Digital Audio‎, 1st edition, Blue Ridge Summit: TAB Books, →ISBN, page 161:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1996, Jürgen K. Lang, Das Compact Disc Digital Audio System‎, →ISBN, page 37:

     Anders als bei Videorecordern […] war mit Blick auf die völlige Abhängigkeit von vorgefertigter Musik-Software die Einführung gleich mehrerer neuer Tonträgersysteme nicht zu erwarten.

     Unlike video recorders […] the introduction of several new recording systems was not to be expected in view of the complete dependence on prefabricated music software.

     Category:German terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

4. (archaicCategory:English terms with archaic senses#SOFTWARE) Soft goods, such as textiles.
   • 1889, Parliamentary Debates, volume 61, Victoria. Parliament, page 1404:

     In fact, under the heads of hardware, software, and agriculture, the leading interests of the colony might be said to be grouped.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1914, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, volume 3, page 167:

     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

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

   • 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#SOFTWARE

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned

See also

References

• “software”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• forwaste, softwear

Etymology

Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Czech terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Czech terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsoftvɛr]Category:Czech terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• IPA^(key): [ˈsoftvɛːr]Category:Czech terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:Czech terms with audio pronunciation#SOFTWARE

Noun

software m inanCategory:Czech lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Czech nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Czech terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:Czech entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Czech masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Czech inanimate nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (computingCategory:cs:Computing#SOFTWARE) software

   Synonyms: programové vybavení, (rare) programové prostředky

Further reading

• “software”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Etymology

Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Dutch terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Dutch terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔft.ʋɛr/Category:Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:Dutch terms with audio pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• Hyphenation: soft‧ware

Noun

software m (uncountable, no diminutive)Category:Dutch lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Dutch nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Dutch uncountable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Dutch entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Dutch masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. software (encoded computer instructions)

   Synonym: programmatuur

Pronunciation

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

  Category:French terms with audio pronunciation#SOFTWARE

Noun

software m (plural softwares)Category:French lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:French nouns#SOFTWARECategory:French countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:French terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:French entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:French masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (archaicCategory:French terms with archaic senses#SOFTWARE) software

   Synonym: logiciel

Further reading

• “software”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Etymology

Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Italian terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Italian terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔf.twɛr/, /ˈsɔf.twer/, /ˈsɔf.twɛ.ar/^[1]Category:Italian 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Italian 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Italian 3-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Italian terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• Rhymes: -ɔftwɛr, -ɔftwer, -ɔftwɛarCategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwɛr#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwɛr/2 syllables#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwer#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwer/2 syllables#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwɛar#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔftwɛar/3 syllables#SOFTWARE

Noun

software m (invariable)Category:Italian lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Italian nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Italian countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Italian indeclinable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Italian terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:Italian entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Italian masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (computingCategory:it:Computing#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)

References

Etymology

Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Norman terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Norman terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Noun

software m (uncountable)Category:Norman lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Norman nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Norman entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Norman masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (JerseyCategory:Jersey Norman#SOFTWARE, computingCategory:nrf:Computing#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from EnglishCategory:Polish terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Polish unadapted borrowings from English#SOFTWARECategory:Polish terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔft.wɛr/Category:Polish 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Polish terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:Polish terms with audio pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• Rhymes: -ɔftwɛrCategory:Rhymes:Polish/ɔftwɛr#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Polish/ɔftwɛr/2 syllables#SOFTWARE
• Syllabification: soft‧ware

Noun

software m inanCategory:Polish lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Polish nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Polish entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Polish masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Polish inanimate nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (softwareCategory:pl:Software#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)

   Synonym: oprogramowanie

   Coordinate term: hardware

2. (technologyCategory:pl:Technology#SOFTWARE) technical and organizational ideas

Further reading

• software in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from EnglishCategory:Portuguese terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese unadapted borrowings from English#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔftʃiwɛʁ, -ɛɾCategory:Rhymes:Portuguese/ɔftʃiwɛʁ#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Portuguese/ɔftʃiwɛʁ/2 syllables#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Portuguese/ɛɾ#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Portuguese/ɛɾ/2 syllables#SOFTWARE
• Hyphenation: soft‧ware

Noun

software m (countable and uncountable, plural softwares)Category:Portuguese lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese uncountable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Portuguese masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (uncountableCategory:Portuguese uncountable nouns#SOFTWARE, computingCategory:pt:Computing#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)
2. (countableCategory:Portuguese countable nouns#SOFTWARE, computingCategory:pt:Computing#SOFTWARE) a piece of software; program

   Vou instalar um novo software de anti-vírus. ― I'll install a new anti-virus program.Category:Portuguese terms with usage examples#SOFTWARE

Further reading

• “software”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “software”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from EnglishCategory:Romanian terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian unadapted borrowings from English#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Noun

software n (plural (rare) software-uri)Category:Romanian lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian nouns with red links in their headword lines#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Romanian neuter nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (computingCategory:ro:Computing#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)

   Synonym: soft

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from EnglishCategory:Spanish terms borrowed from English#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish unadapted borrowings from English#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish terms derived from English#SOFTWARE software.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsofdw̝eɾ/ [ˈsovð̞.w̝eɾ], /ˈsoftweɾ/ [ˈsof.t̪weɾ]Category:Spanish 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish 2-syllable words#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish terms with IPA pronunciation#SOFTWARE
• Rhymes: -ofdw̝eɾ, -oftweɾCategory:Rhymes:Spanish/ofdw̝eɾ#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Spanish/ofdw̝eɾ/2 syllables#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Spanish/oftweɾ#SOFTWARECategory:Rhymes:Spanish/oftweɾ/2 syllables#SOFTWARE
• Syllabification: soft‧ware

Noun

software m (plural softwares)Category:Spanish lemmas#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish countable nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish terms spelled with W#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish entries with incorrect language header#SOFTWARECategory:Spanish masculine nouns#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with entries#SOFTWARECategory:Pages with 10 entries#SOFTWARE

1. (computingCategory:es:Computing#SOFTWARE) software (encoded computer instructions)

   Synonym: programa

   • 2024 July 22, Zoe Sottile, “Lo que sabemos cuatro días después de que una actualización de software dejara fuera de servicio los sistemas informáticos de todo el mundo”, in CNN en Español‎:

     Cuatro días después de que una actualización de software defectuosa de una empresa de ciberseguridad dejara inesperadamente fuera de servicio ordenadores y sistemas técnicos en todo el mundo, las aerolíneas y algunas otras empresas siguen experimentando retrasos y otros problemas técnicos.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

     Category:Spanish terms with quotations#SOFTWARECategory:Requests for translations of Spanish quotations#SOFTWARE

Further reading

• “software”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025
• software | Diccionario panhispánico de dudas | RAE - ASALE
• algoritmo, software y hardware, cuatro claves de redacción | Fundéu Guzmán Ariza (fundeu.do)