Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words
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- ️Tue Jul 04 2023
software
noun
Computers.
the programs used to direct the operation of a computer, as well as documentation giving instructions on how to use them.
Compare
hardware ( def 3 ).
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.
Television Slang. prepackaged materials, as movies or reruns, used to fill out the major part of a station's program schedule.
/ ˈsɒftˌwɛə /
noun
video cassettes and discs for use with a particular video system
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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Word History and Origins
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Example Sentences
Examples have not been reviewed.
DragonForce operates an affiliate cyber crime service so anyone can use their malicious software and website to carry out attacks and extortions.
"Artificial intelligence" was hyped as the next big thing, but it's increasingly clear it's not intelligent, and has, in fact, made writing and search software actively harder to use.
This is a type of malicious software used to scramble important data or files after gaining access to computer systems, essentially locking them away unless a ransom is paid.
This is a type of malicious software used to scramble important data or files after gaining access to a business' computer systems, essentially locking them away unless a ransom is paid.
M&S has also been targeted with ransomware - malicious software which locks an owner out of their computer or network and scrambles their data.
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More About Software
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virtual experience that directs the operation of a computer or electronic device, as in The software on my phone was so outdated, I couldn’t send texts to anyone.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.
Where does software come from?
The first records of the term software come from the mid-1900s. It combines the term soft, in this instance meaning “not hard” and “easily moved or swayed,” and ware, meaning “an item or product.” Software is used in contrast with hardware, which is the physical machine that runs the software.
Software is usually a name for anything that runs on hardware, such as the operating system (Windows, Mac OS), a program such as a web browser, a piece that manages or completes tasks (volume mixer or a game), or any digital entertainment product.
Software can also be stored on hardware, such as DVDs, video game cartridges, music discs, and even tapes. Because of the nature of computer programming and hardware management, software will be coded in different computing languages that limit what hardware a certain piece of software can work on.
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How is software used in real life?
Thanks to the popularity of computing, software is a common term for the programs that run on computers and related devices.
Tesla software V10.0 comes with karaoke 🎤
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 9, 2019
I just tried to export the video and it did the same thing as the last one, there's definitely something wrong with my software
— Nash Grier (@Nashgrier) January 19, 2015
Two things that I did in the past few days that deserve some respect are update my phone software and birth a human.
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) August 28, 2019
Try using software!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for software?
A. program
B. process
C. application
D. computer