# adware

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈædˌwɛə/ · frequency rank #77,383

## Definitions
1. A software application that includes advertisements, which are displayed while the software is running. Developers use adware as a source of income and to keep the costs of the software down (usually making it free). Some adware programs can include spyware.

## Etymology
From ad + -ware.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/adware