Etymology

adware

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Today it means: A software application that includes advertisements, which are displayed while the software is running. Developers use adware as a source of income and to keep the costs of the software down (usually making it free). Some adware programs can include spyware. Full definition →

English softwarebf. ← Middle English ware ← Old English waru
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  2. Proto-Italic*ad
  3. Proto-Italic*ad-
  4. Latinad-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*wértetor
  7. Proto-Italic*wertō
  8. Latinvertō
  9. Latinadvertō
  10. Old Frenchavertir
  11. Middle Frenchadvertir
  12. Middle Frenchadvertissement
  13. Englishadvertisementclip.
  14. Englishad
  15. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
  16. Proto-Germanic*samþuz /*samftuz
  17. Proto-West Germanic*samft(ī)
  18. Old Englishsōfte
  19. Middle Englishsofte
  20. Englishsoft
  21. Proto-Germanic*warō
  22. Proto-West Germanic*waru
  23. Old Englishwaru
  24. Middle Englishware
  25. Englishsoftwarebf.
  26. English todayadware

From ad + -ware.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.