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Bloatware
01
unwanted or unnecessary pre-installed software on a device
Slang
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Inanimate
Composition
Compound
Uncountable
Plural form
bloatwares
What does "bloatware" mean in tech slang?
This term originated in the 1990s during the rise of personal computing, as manufacturers and software companies began pre-installing numerous trial programs, toolbars, and utilities on new devices. It is used to describe unnecessary or overly resource-heavy software that consumes storage, memory, or processing power, often to the frustration of users who did not request it. The structure combines "bloat" (meaning excessive swelling or overgrowth) with "ware" (short for software), forming a compound noun that vividly criticizes inefficient or predatory preloaded applications.
Examples
My new phone came with so much bloatware.
Lexical Tree
bloatware
bloat
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