software

noun

soft·​ware ˈsȯft-ˌwer 

: something used or associated with and usually contrasted with hardware: such as

a

: programs for a computer

accounting software

b

dated : the entire set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a mechanical or electronic system and especially a computer system

c

: materials for use with audiovisual equipment

… television programs, music, and movies are now called software, by the way …

—Robert Bixby

Examples of software in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each episode includes actionable advice from a variety of guests including software founders and real estate investors, who share their numbers, mistakes, and lucky breaks. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

The Steam Deck uses the Proton software compatibility layer and has already proved that many Windows games can even run better on Linux as a result. —Tom Warren, The Verge, 13 Dec. 2024

The district staff is still working to reduce reliance on costly contractors, fill vacancies, complete training and upgrade its data management software, among other tasks. —Keri Heath, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024

Check car recalls here:Ram, Honda, GM, Volkswagen, Tesla among 660,000 vehicles recalled PACCAR dealers will reprogram the ECU software for free, according to the NHTSA recall report. —Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

software

noun

soft·​ware ˈsȯf-ˌtwa(ə)r 

-ˌtwe(ə)r

: the programs and related information used by a computer