# software

Pronunciation: US say "SAWFT-wair" /ˈsɔf(t)ˌwɛɹ/; UK say "SOFT-wair" /ˈsɒf(t)ˌwɛə/

## Noun

1. Encoded instructions that tell a computer how to work, usually changeable unless fixed in permanent memory like ROM.
   - Simple: Programs and instructions that tell a computer what to do.
   - _The company released software to manage payroll and scheduling._
   - _Most modern cars rely on software to control their engines._

## Other meanings

- (noun) Military personnel considered as the human element of warfare, in contrast to hardware like weapons and vehicles.

## Origin

John Tukey coined the word in 1958, combining soft and -ware to contrast it with hardware, the computer itself.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/software (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).