hardware

View more Business & Finance videos

For more information on hardware, visit Britannica.com.

The physical machinery and devices that make up a computer system. It is contrasted to software — the programs and instructions used to run the system.

Mechanical and electronic parts that constitute a computer system, as distinguished from the computer programs (software) that drive the system. The main hardware elements are the central processing unit, disk or magnetic tape data storage devices, cathode-ray tube display terminals, keyboards, and printers.

n. tools, machinery, and other durable equipment: tanks and other military hardware.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Metal products used in construction, such as: bolts, nails, screws (see rough hardware); fittings, such as catches, hinges, locks, etc. (see finish hardware); tools.

(DOD) 1. The generic term dealing with physical items as distinguished from its capability or function such as equipment, tools, implements, instruments, devices, sets, fittings, trimmings, assemblies, subassemblies, components, and parts. The term is often used in regard to the stage of development, as in the passage of a device or component from the design stage into the hardware stage as the finished object. 2. In data automation, the physical equipment or devices forming a computer and peripheral components.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

metallic foreign bodies in the reticulum of ruminants, especially in dairy cattle, and the cause of traumatic reticulitis.

• h. disease — traumatic reticuloperitonitis.

The mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electric devices or components of a computer.

• Building and Machine Parts - hardware: metal fittings and utensils for building construction
• Common Tools and Tool Types - hardware: metalware usu. forming functional or decorative component part
• Hardware and Supplies - hardware: metalware usu. forming functional or decorative component part
• Data Transmission - hardware: electronic systems and devices used in telecommunications
• Hardware and Peripherals - hardware: physical components of system: computer, external memory system, terminal, printer, modem

For other uses, see Hardware (disambiguation).

Look up hardware in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Hardware is a general term for equipment that can be touched/held by hand such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, belts, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores.

v t e Types of tools Cleaning tools Broom Brush Feather duster Floor buffer Hataki Mop & Mop bucket cart Needlegun scaler Pipe cleaner Pressure washer Sandblaster Sponge Squeegee Steam mop Tawashi Vacuum cleaner Cutting and abrasive tools Blade Bolt cutter Broach Ceramic tile cutter Chisel Coping saw Countersink Diamond blade Diamond tool Draw knife Drill bit Emery cloth File Fretsaw Froe Glass cutter Grater Grinding wheel Hand saw Knife Miter saw Nail clipper Pipecutter Plane Pocket knife Rasp Razor Reamer Sandpaper Saw Scalpel Scissors Steel wool Surform Switchblade Utility knife Water jet cutter Wire brush Wire cutter Wire stripper Garden tools Adze Axe Baling hook Billhook Bow saw Chainsaw Cultivator Earth auger Edger Garden fork Garden hose Garden trowel Hatchet Hedge trimmer Hoe Hori hori Irrigation sprinkler Lawn aerator Lawn mower Lawn sweeper Leaf blower Loppers Loy Machete Mattock Pickaxe Pitchfork Plough (plow) Post hole digger Pruning shears (secateurs) Rake Roller Rotary tiller Scythe Shovel Sickle Slasher Spade Splitting maul String trimmer Hand tools Block plane BNC inserter/remover Brace Bradawl Breaker bar Card scraper Cat's paw Caulking gun Clamp Crimping pliers Crowbar Grease gun Fish tape Hammer Hand truck Hawk Hex key Impact driver Jack Lug wrench Locking pliers Mallet Mitre box Monkey wrench Multi-tool Nut driver Paint roller Paintbrush Pipe wrench Pliers Plumber's snake Plumber wrench Plunger Punch Punch down tool Putty knife Ratchet Sink wrench Scratch awl Screwdriver Sledgehammer Socket wrench Spike maul Staple gun Stitching awl Strap wrench Tire iron Tongue-and-groove pliers Torque wrench Trowel Upholstery hammer Wrench (spanner) Machine and metalworking tools Automatic lathe Ball-peen hammer Broaching machine Drill press Endmill English wheel Gear shaper Grinding machine Hacksaw Hobbing machine Jig borer Lathe Metalworking lathe Milling cutter Milling machine Planer Plasma cutter Screw machine Shaper Tap and die Thread restorer Tool bit Turret lathe Welder Measuring and alignment tools Architect's scale Beam compass Caliper Chalk box Compass Engineer's scale Flexible curve Jig Laser level Laser line level Laser measuring tool Micrometer Plumb-bob Protractor Ruler Scale Sliding T bevel Spirit level Square Straightedge Tape measure Template Triangle Power tools Angle grinder Bandsaw Belt sander Blow torch Chop saw Circular saw Concrete saw Crusher Cutting torch Die grinder Drill Glue gun Heat gun Impact wrench Jackhammer Jigsaw Jointer Nail gun Power trowel Radial arm saw Random orbital sander Reciprocating saw Rotary tool Router table Sander Scroll saw Soldering gun Soldering iron Steam box Table saw Thickness planer Wood router Wood shaper Other Antique tools Backscratcher Bucket Comb Flashlight Halligan bar Kelly tool Ladder Pencil Tool belt Toolbox Vise Workbench

This tool article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - isenkram, maskiner, materiel, våben, computerhardware

Nederlands (Dutch)
hardware, apparatuur, ijzerwaren, wapens, identiteitsplaatjes

Français (French)
n. - (Comput) matériel informatique, hardware, (Comm) articles de quincaillerie

Deutsch (German)
n. - Eisenwaren, Haushaltswaren, Schießeisen, Hardware

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σιδηρικά, είδη κιγκαλερίας, (Η/Υ) ηλεκτρομηχανολογικό μέρος, χάρντγουερ, στρατιωτικό υλικό, (ιατρ.) χειρουργικός εξοπλισμός

Italiano (Italian)
ferramenta, hardware

Português (Portuguese)
n. - hardware (f) (Comp.)

Русский (Russian)
скобяные изделия

Español (Spanish)
n. - ferretería, hardware

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - järn-, metallvaror, hårdvara (data), vapen, militära utmärkelser, idrottspriser (isht bucklor, kannor e.d.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
硬件, 零件, 五金器具

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 硬體, 零件, 五金器具

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 쇠붙이류, 무기류, 하드웨어, 기재와 설비

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 金物, 鉄器類, ハードウェア, 武器

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الخردوات الأدوات المعدنيه على اختلافها‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮כלי בית וגינה, כלי-מתכת, כלי מלחמה, חומרה (מחשב), ציוד, נשק‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.