warez

British  

/ wɛəz, ˈwɛrɛz, ˈwarɛz /

noun

1. informal illegally copied computer software which has had its protection codes de-activated

---

Etymology

Origin of warez

C20: possibly from ( _soft ) _ware and influenced by the anglicized pronunciation of Juarez , a Mexican city known for smuggling

Example Sentences

Yet a broad search of dark web channels, like the Pirate Warez website, an underground forum for pirated goods, didn’t yield anything meaningful when searching for “manuscripts,” “unpublished” or “upcoming book,” or the titles of several purloined manuscripts.

From New York Times

The programming group she once ran on Meetup.com, dubbed “Seattle Warez Kiddies,” no longer exists.

From Washington Post

It’s sort of like the jump from professional bootleggers trafficking tracks on Warez forums to the peer-to-peer network of Napster.

From The Verge

Online, pirated media files were known as “warez,” from “software,” and were distributed through a subculture dating back to at least 1980, which called itself the Warez Scene.

From The New Yorker

Dockery invited him to his house one night, where he outlined the basics of the warez underworld.

From The New Yorker