guiltware en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *gulti? Old English gylt Middle English gilt English guilt 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 guiltware From guilt + -ware.
Meanings
- (informal, uncountable) Software that attempts to convince the user to fulfil some obligation (such as registration or donation to a charity) by eliciting feelings of guilt.