Is Software Plural or Singular? What’s the Plural of Software?

November 14, 2022

Software is a mass noun that only has a singular noun form. Whether we use it as a singular or plural, it stays "software".

Elan Yash

Elan is head of design and tech. He's also a contributor at Grammarflex.

Contents

What’s the plural of “software”?

"Software" used as a plural noun in sentences.

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What’s the correct way to refer to more than one software? As it turns out, software is a mass noun that only has a singular noun form. Softwares is incorrect, and not a recognized word in the English language. So, whether you’re referring to one or more than one software, the word stays the same!

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What’s the singular of software?

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"Software" used as a singular noun in sentence examples.

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Software is technically only a singular noun, though it can be used to refer to numerous computer programming.

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What is software? What’s the difference between software and hardware?

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Software and hardware are terms thrown around casually in conversation, or in tech circles, but what do they even mean? Software are instructions or data that informs the computer on how to behave, and what it should do. Software and hardware are opposites: hardware refers to the physical properties of a computer or laptop. Think of your monitor, keyboard, screen; these things are all the hardware of the computer or desktop. Software, on the other hand, are the intangible operations or instructions that go on within the computer, and makes it operate.

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Compound words: software

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Compound words in English are words that are made up of two separate words in English. Take the word mailbox: mail + box. Software is also a compound word: soft + ware = software. This is extremely common in English. We love our compound words.

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Irregular plural nouns that stay the same

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Software is irregular as a plural noun in English since it doesn’t end in -s/-es in its plural form. Naturally, some people may confuse the plural of software plural for softwares, despite it being simply software (as a plural.)

Nouns with one form. By Gflex on Canva.

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Software are not the only irregular English plural noun that remain the same in both singular and plural forms. Beer, deer, moose, shrimp, all stay the same in both their singular and plural noun forms. While this sounds confusing, it’s straightforward to tell whether what’s mentioned is plural or singular in context (for the most part.)

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Examples of software used in application

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Example sentences are from dictionary.com, software.

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1. Now it can’t open on my phone due to what appears to be software incompatibility.

2. The office uses Microsoft software for its word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and email.

3. Just 6% of Congress today has any tech or software background. (Fortune.)

4. A very popular word processing software option is Microsoft Word.

5. Following previous cases at Uber and Google, Pinterest and software company Carta have become this year’s most recent cautionary tales. (How to be a Fair Play CEO, Fortune, by Susan Alban.)

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Origin of the word software

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Apparently soft wares in its 1851 usage, referred to “woolen or cotton fabrics,” or “relatively perishable consumer goods.” Software in reference to the computer program was not coined until the 1960s, and is based off of hardware.

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