vaporware
/ˈveɪpəɹˌwɛɹ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.72 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An advertised product, often computer software, the launch of which has not happened yet and might not ever happen.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonym: dreamware"
- "Our hard-and-fast rule was that if we couldn't see it, it still resided in that special zone called "Vaporware.""
- "Vaporware appeals widely to industrial and consumer buyers."
- "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."
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.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈveɪpəɹˌwɛɹ/
- British English: /ˈveɪpəwɛə/