-ware
/-wɛ(ə)/
-ware suffix: used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made from a particular substance.
Suffix (1)
-ware (noun-forming suffix, countable and uncountable, plural -wares)
- Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made from a particular substance.
- glass + -ware → glassware
- Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made in a particular place.
- Abruzzi + -ware → Abruzzi ware
- Used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items of a particular kind or for a particular use.
- gift + -ware → giftware
Suffix (2)
-ware (noun-forming suffix, uncountable)
-ware meaning in Malay
-ware in Malay
- denoting specific classes of computer software
- perisian
Forms of -ware
| plural | -wares |
|---|
Origin of -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.
English softwarebf. English -ware Back-formation from software. See also ware and warehouse.
Words formed from -ware
- abandonware
- adware
- annoyware
- badware
- baitware
- beerware
- beggarware
- Be-ware
- bloatware
- bookware
- cardware
- careware
- censorware
- charityware
- coasterware
- courseware
- crapware
- crimeware
- crippleware
- crudware
- cyberware
- demoware
- donationware
- dreamware
- emailware
- fanware
- fatware
- firmware
- foistware
- Formationware
- freeware
- fritterware
- garageware
- greenware
- groupware
- guiltware
- herdware
- heroinware
- hijackware
- junkware
- liveware
- malware
- meatware
- middleware
- missionware
- nagware
- otherware
- parasiteware
- payware
- postcardware
- psychedelicware
- pupperware
- pushware
- ransomware
- retroware
- scareware
- scumware
- shareware
- shelfware
- shitware
Words that rhyme with -ware
48 more rhymesFewer rhymes
- declare
- hair
- Sinclair
- where
- ayr
- care
- layer
- mayor
- parterre
- fare
- glare
- lair
- pear
- prayer
- snare
- compare
- dare
- rare
- share
- swear
- ware
- wear and tear
- Ayer
- blare
- flair
- forbear
- Kerr
- laissez faire
- mousquetaire
- pare
- prepare
- repair
- stare
- unfair
- yare
- abear
- aflare
- despair
- glair
- heir
- impair
- Pierre
- reair
- scare
- tare
- trillionaire
- Voltaire
- aware
Questions about -ware
- What does -ware mean?
- -ware means used to form nouns denoting, collectively, items made from a particular substance.
- What is -ware in Malay?
- -ware in Malay is perisian. See -ware meaning in Malay.
- What part of speech is -ware?
- -ware is a suffix.
- How do you pronounce -ware?
- -ware is pronounced /-wɛ(ə)/.
Words near -ware in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: -ware (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this entry: “-ware.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/-ware. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.