Etymology

freeware

F4R1E1E1W4A1R1E1

Today it means: Complete and functional software that does not require payment or other compensation (such as viewing advertising) for its use. Freeware may be a proprietary license with no access to the source code. Full definition →

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

  1. Proto-Indo-European*preyH-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*priHós
  3. Proto-Germanic*frijwaz
  4. Proto-West Germanic*friu
  5. Old Englishfrēo
  6. Middle Englishfre
  7. Englishfree
  8. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
  9. Proto-Germanic*samþuz /*samftuz
  10. Proto-West Germanic*samft(ī)
  11. Old Englishsōfte
  12. Middle Englishsofte
  13. Englishsoft
  14. Proto-Germanic*warō
  15. Proto-West Germanic*waru
  16. Old Englishwaru
  17. Middle Englishware
  18. Englishsoftwarebf.
  19. English todayfreeware

From free + -ware (clipping of "software"). Coined by Andrew Fluegelman.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.