abandonware en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Latin ad Old French a Proto-Germanic *bannanąder. Frankish *bannder. Old French ban Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *dóh₃r̥ ~ *déh₃n̥s Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *déh₃nom Proto-Italic *dōnom Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Proto-Italic *dōnāō? Latin donāre Old French doner Old French a ban doner Old French abandonerder. Middle English abandounen English abandon 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 English abandonware From abandon + -ware.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A software product that is no longer updated or maintained, or whose copyright is no longer defended or which is no longer marketed even by the company who made it.
Such toolkits developed in research projects are deemed to end as abandonware where the authors stop working on it and reported bugs will not get fixed after the associated paper was accepted.
2017, Paper accepted, toolkit abandoned., “Paper accepted, toolkit abandoned.”, in Department of Digital Design and Information Studies, Aarhus, Denmark, archived from the original on 15 Oct 2025, page 1, column 2:RR> Never heard of Wildscan. Is it shareware or is there a^([sic]) evaluation RR> version available? It's abandonware ala Joe Martin inc.:)
1996 October 12, John Hentsch, “Re: Converting file areas (one more time)”, in alt.bbs.wildcat (Usenet), retrieved 08 Feb 2017, message-ID <ff1_9610122110@mb.fidonet.org>:Abandonware is software that is no longer being sold or supported by its author, copyright owner, or licensed distributor. Software that is still being sold, but no longer supported, is sometimes also referred to as abandonware.
2014, Aaron Schwabach, Internet and the Law: Technology, Society, and Compromises, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 1:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| abandonwares | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Descendants
abandonware · abandonware · abandonware · abandonware · abandonware
Relateds
donationware · bloatware · scumware · gameware · announcementware · shelfware · careware · fritterware · parasiteware · firmware · courseware · shitware · helpware · charityware · public domain · emailware · wetware · liveware · demoware · trialware · free software · vaporware · funware · dreamware · cardware · adware · crapware · malware · groupware · crudware · shareware · spyware · nagware · freeware · payware · hijackware · censorware · hassleware · guiltware · ransomware · prayerware · teachware · crippleware · blogware · shovelware · otherware · middleware · baitware · scareware · abandon · foistware · postcardware · fatware · cyberware · meatware · annoyware
Translations (17)
ro produs abandonat (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · it software fuori mercato (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · nl abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · pl abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · fr logiciel abandonné (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · de Abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · id peranti telantar (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · fi hylätty ohjelmisto (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · ca programari descatalogat (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · es abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · ro software abandonat (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · is eftirlegubúnaður (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · fr abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · sk abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · fi abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · fr abandogiciel (software which has been abandoned by its developer) · it abandonware (software which has been abandoned by its developer)