software

[sawft-wair, soft-]

noun

1. Computers.,  the programs used to direct the operation of a computer, as well as documentation giving instructions on how to use them.

2. 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.

3. Television Slang.,  prepackaged materials, as movies or reruns, used to fill out the major part of a station's program schedule.

software

/ ˈsɒftˌwɛə /

noun

1. computing the programs that can be used with a particular computer system Compare hardware

2. video cassettes and discs for use with a particular video system

software

1. The programs, programming languages, and data that direct the operations of a computer system. Word processing programs and Internet browsers are examples of software.

2. Compare hardware

software

1. The programs and instructions that run a computer, as opposed to the actual physical machinery and devices that compose the hardware.

Word History and Origins

Origin of software¹

First recorded in 1955–60; soft + ware ¹

Example Sentences

And the tool relies heavily on the underlying artificial-intelligence models of companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which are actively competing for the same software engineering users who have made Cursor a runaway hit.

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Analysts at Deutsche Bank said the fact that Airbus had not updated its guidance for aircraft delivery this year suggested the impact of the software update was still being evaluated or had been contained.

Read more on Barron's

Synopsys is the largest provider of electronic design automation software, which is used to design semiconductors.

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Carriers were scrambling to update software on thousands of Airbus planes after the jet maker recalled about 6,000 A320 aircraft on Friday, citing solar radiation’s potential to interrupt flight controls.

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Many on the Street have questioned Strategy’s ability to service its preferred dividends and debt interest costs, seeing as its Bitcoin holdings generate no income and its legacy software business yields little free cash.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• application 
• application software www.thesaurus.com
• program 

When To Use

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.