Meanings
nounpirateware (uncountable)
- uncountablecomputingPirated software.
Viruses may creep into your system if you download files from a bulletin board or communications service or if you install freeware, shareware, pirateware, or some other type of alternative software.
1992, Peter Norton, Judi N. Fernandez, Ruth Ashley, Peter Norton's Advanced DOS 5 Guide, page 270
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-
- Proto-Indo-European*périh₂
- Proto-Hellenic*péřřa
- Ancient Greekπεῖρᾰ (peîră)
- Ancient Greekπειράω (peiráō)
- Ancient Greekπειρᾱτής (peirātḗs)
- Latinpīrāta
- Old Frenchpirate
- Middle Englishpirate
- Englishpirate
- Proto-Indo-European*sem-
- Proto-Germanic*samþuz /*samftuz
- Proto-West Germanic*samft(ī)
- Old Englishsōfte
- Middle Englishsofte
- Englishsoft
- Proto-Germanic*warō
- Proto-West Germanic*waru
- Old Englishwaru
- Middle Englishware
- Englishsoftwarebf.
- Englishpirateware
Cite this entry
APA
pirateware. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pirateware
MLA
“pirateware.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pirateware. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pirateware,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pirateware.
Source: pirateware on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.