*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of -ware

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *warō Proto-West Germanic *waru Old English waru Middle English ware English -ware From Middle English ware, from Old English waru, from Proto-West Germanic *waru, from Proto-Germanic *warō,

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
suffix

Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made from a particular substance. · Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made in a particular place. · Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items of a particular kind or for a particular use.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *warō Proto-West Germanic *waru Old English waru Middle English ware English -ware From Middle English ware, from Old English waru, from Proto-West Germanic *waru, from Proto-Germanic *warō, with meaning gradually shifting from guard, protection to an object that is in possession, hence meriting attention, guarded, cared for, and protected.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionwareenm
  • Inherited-form mentionwaruang
  • Inherited-form mention*warugmw-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*warōgem-pro
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "args": {
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        "3": "enm:ware<id:merchandise><ety:inh<ang:waru<id:merchandise>>>",
        "id": "substance, kind, or use",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*waru\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"waru\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"ware\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ware\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"substance, kind, or use\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-ware\" id=\"English:_substance,_kind,_or_use\">"
    },
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        "2": "enm",
        "3": "ware"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English ware"
    },
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      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "waru"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English waru"
    },
    {
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*waru"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *waru"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*warō"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *warō"
    },
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      "name": "etymon",
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        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:ware<id:merchandise><ety:inh<ang:waru<id:merchandise>>>",
        "id": "substance, kind, or use",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*warō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/warō"
    ],
    [
      "*waru",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/waru"
    ],
    [
      "waru",
      "waru#Old_English:_merchandise"
    ],
    [
      "ware",
      "ware#Middle_English:_merchandise"
    ],
    [
      "ware",
      "ware#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "waru",
      "waru#Old_English"
    ],
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/waru"
    ],
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      "*warō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/warō"
    ]
  ],
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        "Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made from a particular substance.",
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        "Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items of a particular kind or for a particular use."
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
suffix

Used to form mass nouns denoting specific classes of computer software, based on use, function, or method of distribution.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Germanic *samþuz /*samftuz Proto-Indo-European *-yos Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Germanic *-jaz Proto-West Germanic *-ī Proto-West Germanic *samft(ī) Old English sōfte Middle English softe English soft Proto-Germanic *warō Proto-West Germanic *waru Old English waru Middle English ware English -ware English softwarebf. English -ware Back-formation from software. See also ware and warehouse.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
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        "2": ":bf",
        "3": "software",
        "id": "software",
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      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *sem-\nProto-Germanic *samþuz /*samftuz\nProto-Indo-European *-yos\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Germanic *-jaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ī\nProto-West Germanic *samft(ī)\nOld English sōfte\nMiddle English softe\nEnglish soft\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish softwarebf.\nEnglish -ware\n[Appendix:Glossary#back-formation|Back-formation]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*samþuz\\/\\/*samftuz\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"together\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*sem-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"-ed\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yos\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-jaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ī\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*samft(ī)\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"sōfte\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"softe\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"soft\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"substance, kind, or use\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"merchandise\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"merchandise\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*warō\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*waru\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"waru\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"ware\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ware\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"software\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"back-formation\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ware\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"software\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-ware\" id=\"English:_software\">"
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    }
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    ],
    [
      "*-yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
    [
      "*-jaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-jaz#Proto-Germanic:_-ed"
    ],
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      "*-ī",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ī#Proto-West_Germanic:_adjective"
    ],
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/samft(ī)"
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/warō"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for -ware →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-LXdhcmU