What language does the word software come from?

The word "software" is an English word, and it's actually a relatively recent invention. It emerged in the 1950s, with the rise of computers.

Here's a breakdown of its origins:

* "Soft" is an old English word, meaning "yielding, pliable, or not hard."

* "Ware" comes from Old English "ware," meaning "goods, merchandise, or articles."

The term "software" was originally used to distinguish the programs and data stored on a computer from the physical hardware components themselves. It was coined as an analogy to "hardware," which referred to the physical parts of a computer.

So, while the individual words "soft" and "ware" have long histories, the combined term "software" is specifically an English invention.