software

n.

US //ˈsɔfˌwɛɹ// UK //sˈɒftweə// soft·ware

1 military personnel (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Military

the people involved in a war, rather than the weapons or vehicles.

the human element of a military operation or organization, contrasted with hardware such as weaponry and equipment.

Example

The general argued that the army needed better training for its software, not just new tanks.

Example

Strategic analysts often emphasize that the quality of military software—the soldiers and their tactical training—is as critical as the hardware they operate.

Teacher's tip

This is a highly specialized metaphor used in defense and strategic circles; it is not common in everyday conversation.
- personnel
- manpower
- hardware

Origin

From soft + -ware, by contrast with hardware (“the computer itself”). Coined by John Tukey in 1958.

Word family

Nounfirmware
Nounhardware
Nounsoftware

Idioms1 entry

01
kitchen table software
Especially in the early years of personal computers, a set of computer programs developed by an entrepreneurial advanced amateur or self-employed professional computer programmer in his or her own home; software developed by a small business using the services of such programmers.

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