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Definition of software

software

/ˈsɔːft.wɛr/
soft · ware
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software Lexical Profile

software Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The programs, routines, data, and operating instructions used to direct the operation of a computer or other digital device, as opposed to its physical hardware.

Example

"The IT department will install the new accounting software on all office computers this weekend."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

"Software" is an uncountable mass noun and does not take an indefinite article ("a software") or a plural suffix ("softwares"); to refer to individual items, use "a piece of software," "a software program," or "an application."

• Nearby Words

softshell
softshell turtle
softshoe
software
softwood
softy
soggily

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 1950s (often attributed to mathematician John W. Tukey in 1958) by analogy with "hardware," combining Old English "sōfte" (pliant, gentle) and "waru" (goods, commodities) to distinguish malleable instructions from rigid physical machinery.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Software. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/software
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