<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>the programs used to direct the operation of a computer, as well as documentation giving instructions on how to use them.</li><li>anything that is not hardware but is used with hardware, especially audiovisual materials, as film, tapes, records, etc.: a studio fully equipped but lacking software.</li><li>prepackaged materials, as movies or reruns, used to fill out the major part of a station's program schedule.</li></ul>