malware

American  

[mal-wair] / ˈmælˌwɛər /

noun

Digital Technology.

• malwares
  plural

1. software intended to damage a computer, mobile device, computer system, or computer network, or to take partial control over its operation.

   tips on finding and removing viruses, spyware, and other malware.

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malware British  

/ ˈmælwɛə /

noun

1. a computer program designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus

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malware Scientific  

/ măl′wâr′ /

1. Software that is written and distributed for malicious purposes, such as impairing or destroying computer systems. Computer viruses are malware.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• malwares
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of malware

First recorded in 1990–95; mal(icious) + -ware

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Explanation

Look out! Computer programs that are intended to cause harm or damage your computer are malware. Viruses and spyware are common types of malware. Malware is a code or file that's meant to injure computer users by stealing their data, secretly monitoring their activity, or harming the computer itself. The term malware, which was first used in 1997, is short for "malicious software." If your computer has a firewall or antivirus software, that's your protection against malware. You can also avoid it by not clicking on mysterious links sent from unknown email addresses.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

malware

What AI-driven malware does is accelerate the pace at which these vulnerabilities are exploited and the scale.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Anthropic's warning that AI-powered "worms" could soon spread across smart gadgets is the latest in a series of studies showing how artificial intelligence could supercharge self-spreading malware.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Risks of buying secondhand devices include outdated software, nongenuine replacement parts, activation locks, counterfeits and malware.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

The ads, which came as paper mailers — in contrast to soon-to-be popular malware, pop-up ads and phishing emails — were decidedly less invasive and easily ignored.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

Harmless-looking digital images that contain malware are yet another.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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