"shelfware" meaning in English

See shelfware in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shelfware.wav [US]
Etymology: Etymology tree English shelf 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 shelfware From shelf + -ware. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:af|shelf|-ware<id:software>|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English shelf 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 shelfware [Appendix:Glossary#back-formation|Back-formation]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "adjective", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "adjective", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*samft(ī)", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "sōfte", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "softe", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "soft", "lang" : "en" }, { "id" : "substance, kind, or use", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "merchandise", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "merchandise", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*warō", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*waru", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "waru", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "inline", "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "ware", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-ware", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "software", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword" : "back-formation" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-ware", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "shelfware", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="shelfware"> From shelf + -ware. Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} shelfware (uncountable), {{tlb|en|software}} (software)
  1. A piece of software that has never been used at all since its creation. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-shelfware-en-noun-VffjG3Ey Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software
  2. A piece of software created for the sole purpose of being immediately shelved. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-shelfware-en-noun-j1ZPsQGS Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software
  3. Software purchased but not used. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-shelfware-en-noun-IHT6brlN Categories (other): English entries referencing missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with etymon, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ware (software), Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees, Pages with etymon, Software Disambiguation of English entries referencing missing etymons: 25 27 48 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 28 26 46 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 28 26 46 Disambiguation of English entries with etymon: 26 27 47 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 26 26 47 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ware (software): 27 26 47 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 21 18 61 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 22 22 56 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 19 19 62 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 16 15 68 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 13 13 74 Disambiguation of Software: 22 22 56 Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software
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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shelf\nProto-West Germanic *samft(ī)\nOld English sōfte\nMiddle English softe\nEnglish soft\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish softwarebf.\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish shelfware\n[Appendix:Glossary#back-formation|Back-formation]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*samft(ī)\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"sōfte\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"softe\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"soft\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"substance, kind, or use\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"merchandise\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"merchandise\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*warō\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*waru\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"waru\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"ware\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ware\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"software\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"back-formation\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ware\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"shelfware\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"shelfware\">\nFrom shelf + -ware.",
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  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shelf\nProto-West Germanic *samft(ī)\nOld English sōfte\nMiddle English softe\nEnglish soft\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish softwarebf.\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish shelfware\nFrom shelf + -ware.",
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        "A piece of software created for the sole purpose of being immediately shelved."
      ],
      "id": "en-shelfware-en-noun-j1ZPsQGS",
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          "shelved",
          "shelved"
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        "Software purchased but not used."
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  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish shelf\nProto-West Germanic *samft(ī)\nOld English sōfte\nMiddle English softe\nEnglish soft\nProto-Germanic *warō\nProto-West Germanic *waru\nOld English waru\nMiddle English ware\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish softwarebf.\nEnglish -ware\nEnglish shelfware\nFrom shelf + -ware.",
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Download raw JSONL data for shelfware meaning in English (5.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-08-28 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-08-05 using wiktextract (872fc7b and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.