vaporware en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- (Southern-England) audio
- vāʹpərwâr (General-American)
- /ˈveɪpəɹˌwɛɹ/ (General-American)
- /ˈveɪpəwɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *kwapōs Latin vapor Old French vapeurder. Old French vaporbor. Middle English vapour English vapor 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 vaporware From vapor + -ware.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) An advertised product, often computer software, the launch of which has not happened yet and might not ever happen.
Vaporware appeals widely to industrial and consumer buyers.
2015, Randall G. Chapman, BRANDS: a marketing game:Near-synonym: dreamware
Some would say that Microsoft engaged in a subtle form of vaporware by preannouncing its product before it was actually ready to be delivered, then, at the last minute, announcing a short delay.
2015, Richard Severson, Ethical Principles for the Information Age:Our hard-and-fast rule was that if we couldn't see it, it still resided in that special zone called "Vaporware."
1983, Recording Engineer/producer, volume 14, number 3, page 18:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| vapourware | Commonwealth, UK, alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
on paper · paper airplane · smoke and mirrors
Synonyms
Translations (4)
fr fumiciel (advertised computer product the launch of which is questionable) · fi olematon tuote (advertised computer product the launch of which is questionable) · fi vaporware (advertised computer product the launch of which is questionable) · id peranti gaib (advertised computer product the launch of which is questionable)