WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
soft•ware /ˈsɔftˌwɛr, ˈsɑft-/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable* used with a singular verb]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Computing
- Computingprograms for directing a computer or processing electronic data (distinguished from hardware).
- Radio and Televisionany material requiring the use of equipment, esp. audiovisual material such as film, tapes, or records.
soft•ware
(sôft′wâr′, soft′-),USA pronunciation n.
- Computingthe programs used to direct the operation of a computer, as well as documentation giving instructions on how to use them. Cf. hardware (def. 5).
- Radio and Televisionanything that is not hardware but is used with hardware, esp. audiovisual materials, as film, tapes, records, etc.:a studio fully equipped but lacking software.
- Show Business[Television Slang.]prepackaged materials, as movies or reruns, used to fill out the major part of a station's program schedule.
- soft + ware1 1955–60
'software' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
access method
- alpha test
- app
- architecture
- author
- BBS
- beta test
- bundled
- command-driven
- compatible
- computer law
- computer science
- conversion
- copy protection
- courseware
- crash
- DBMS
- desktop publishing
- documentation
- dongle
- download
- driver
- electronic spreadsheet
- emulate
- environment
- firmware
- freeware
- freeze
- ftp
- gangbuster
- gateway
- graphical user interface
- hardware
- hardware platform
- information technology
- interpreter
- intranet
- kludge
- legacy
- library
- menu-driven
- modular
- networking
- operating system
- overlay
- personal digital assistant
- platform
- Plug and Play
- portable
- publish