Dictionary

retroware en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹɛt.ɹəʊˌwɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-ˌwɛː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• rĕt′rō-wâr′
• /ˈɹɛt.ɹoʊˌwɛɹ/ (Canada, General-American)
• /-ˌweɹ/ (General-American)
• /ˈɹet.ɹəʉˌweə̯/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈɹet.ɹəʉˌweː/ (Australia)
• /ˈɹɛt.ɹoˌweɹ/ (Scotland)

Etymology

Blend of retro + software /hardware, or from retro- (“old-fashioned or old-school”) + -ware (“software”). First attested in 1995, but in common usage only as of the 21st century.

Meanings

1. (informal, uncountable, usually) Old software/hardware.
   • Microsoft itself has shown only two games for Win 95: Fury3, a Descent-like flight sim, and Return of Arcade, another retroware disk. 1995 June 28, Rob Pegoraro, “Behind the Screens”, in The Washington Post, archived from the original on 22 May 2025:
   • The March issue of Wired looks at retroware, the growing use of older computers, in an article by Mark Frauenfelder titled “Never Say Die”. 2000 March 10, “Other voices”, in The Houston Chronicle:
   • p.s. My source for the ESC/P2 are old retroware/retro-computing software and the data will be coming out of 8-bit system emulators. 2005 February 27, David, “Input=ESC/P2; Output=tiff... Any drivers/software?”, in comp.periphs.printers (Usenet), retrieved 22 May 2025:

Forms

Relateds

careware · fritterware · treeware · coasterware · slideware · beerware · shovelware