hardware
noun
- collective name for the physical parts of a computer
- equipment used for home repair and other work, such as fasteners, wire, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, utensils, and machine parts
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈhɑɹdˌwɛɹ/ / /ˈhɑːdˌwɛə/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English hardware; equivalent to hard + -ware; attested since the mid-15th century.
- Fixtures, equipment, fasteners, tools, and devices used for general-purpose construction and repair of a structure or object. Also such equipment as sold as stock by a store of the same name, e.g. hardware store.
“He needed a hammer, nails, screws, nuts, bolts and other assorted hardware, so he went to the hardware store.”
- Equipment.
“military hardware”
“BOWEN: The monster trucks of Mars rovers, joke scientists, equipped with an array of sophisticated hardware to look for signs of water and answer scientists questions.”
- The part of a computer that is fixed and cannot be altered without replacement or physical modification; motherboard, expansion cards, etc.
“Hardware is the generally accepted colloquism for anything inside a computer other than an engineer.”
- Electronic equipment.
- Metal implements.
“The designers have put their logo on the hardware of this bag here.”
- A firearm.
- Medals or trophies.
- Ellipsis of hardware store.