freeware

F4R1E1E1W4A1R1E1
UK/ˈfɹiːˌwɛə/US/ˈfɹiːˌwɛɹ/

noun

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.

OriginEnglish softwarebf. ← Middle English ware ← Old English waru →
CommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounfreeware (uncountable)
  1. uncountablecomputingComplete 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.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
free software

Origin

  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. Englishfreeware

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

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 免費軟件 /免费软件, 免費軟體 /免费软体
  • 免費軟件 /免费软件 (miǎnfèi ruǎnjiàn)free of charge software
  • 免費軟體 /免费软体 (miǎnfèi ruǎntǐ)free of charge software
Czech freeware
  • freewarefree of charge software
Danish gratisprogram
  • gratisprogramfree of charge software
Dutch freeware
  • freewarefree of charge software
Estonian vabavara
  • vabavarafree of charge software
Finnish freeware
  • freewarefree of charge software
French gratuiciel
  • gratuicielfree of charge software
German Freeware
  • Freewarefree of charge software
Greek δωρισμικό
  • δωρισμικό (dorismikó)free of charge software
Hebrew תכנה חינמית
  • תכנה חינמית (tokhna khinamit)free of charge software
Indonesian peranti cuma-cuma, peranti gratis
  • peranti cuma-cumafree of charge software
  • peranti gratisfree of charge software
Japanese フリーウェア
  • フリーウェア (furīwea)free of charge software
Korean 프리웨어
  • 프리웨어 (peuriweeo)free of charge software
Malay perisian percuma
  • perisian percumafree of charge software
Norwegian gratisprogram
  • gratisprogramfree of charge software
Polish freeware
  • freewarefree of charge software
Portuguese programa gratuito, programa grátis
  • programa gratuitofree of charge software
  • programa grátisfree of charge software
  • software gratuitofree of charge software
  • software grátisfree of charge software
Russian беспла́тное ПО, фри́ве́р
  • беспла́тное ПО (besplátnoje PO)free of charge software
  • фри́ве́р (frívɛ́r)free of charge software
Swedish gratisprogram
  • gratisprogramfree of charge software
Yiddish בחינמוואַרג
  • בחינמוואַרג (bekhinemvarg)free of charge software
Cite this entry
APA

freeware. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeware

MLA

“freeware.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeware. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “freeware,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeware.

Source: freeware on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.