noun
software
SOF-weh-uh
noun
1
Programs and coded instructions that run on a computer, as opposed to the physical hardware.
"The company sells accounting software to small businesses."
"You need to update the software before the new features will work."
How to Use Software
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe programs and code that make a computer or device actually do things, as opposed to its physical parts.
Common mistake
Software is uncountable in standard use — say "a piece of software" or "some software," not "a software."
Easily confused with
hardware
Common pairings
install software
software update
software developer
Word Forms
software plural, softwares plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “software”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company sells accounting _____ to small businesses.
Etymology
Coined in 1958 by statistician John Tukey, built from soft plus -ware on the model of hardware — the "hard" physical machine versus the "soft," changeable instructions that run on it.