software
Americannoun
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Computers. the programs used to direct the operation of a computer, as well as documentation giving instructions on how to use them.
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anything that is not hardware but is used with hardware, especially audiovisual materials, as film, tapes, records, etc..
a studio fully equipped but lacking software.
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Television Slang. prepackaged materials, as movies or reruns, used to fill out the major part of a station's program schedule.
noun
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computing the programs that can be used with a particular computer system Compare hardware
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video cassettes and discs for use with a particular video system
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The programs, programming languages, and data that direct the operations of a computer system. Word processing programs and Internet browsers are examples of software.
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Compare hardware
Usage
What is software? Software is a program or virtual experience that directs the operation of a computer or electronic device, as in The software on my phone was so outdated, I couldn’t send texts to anyone. Software can refer to anything that is used with hardware but is not the hardware itself. Example: The hardware is great, but there just isn’t enough software to back it up.
Etymology
Origin of software
Explanation
In computer science, software is a computer program you can load on your computer. Software includes everything from operating systems to game programs. The word software was first used in print in 1958 by John Tukey, a statistician. Some experts suggest the actual word was coined in 1953 as a joke by Paul Niquette. He used the word to refer to the programs for a computer — as opposed to the hardware that made up the physical computer. You can purchase software, install software, and even fix software bugs.
Vocabulary lists containing software
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Headlines warn that agentic AI is breaking the SaaS business model, lowering software valuations and making entire categories of enterprise tools obsolete.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
If agents begin to outnumber people on corporate networks, as many analysts are predicting, that would be a direct shot at the per-user fee structure at many software companies, replacing it with a consumption-based charge.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
My argument then was that the real crisis was not obsolete software.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
In the first place, software customers could use coding agents to build custom versions of software they now purchase, usually via subscriptions based on users.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Rao’s company has pioneered a work flow software program with a standardized format that makes the outsourcing of tax returns cheap and easy.
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
