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Glite Dictionary
open-source

open-source

51 3.7
Software that has code anyone can read, change, and share
  • adjective
  • /ˈoʊpən sɔrs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : de código abierto
  • Many developers prefer using open-source software because it allows them to modify the code freely.
  • open-source software
  • an open-source tool
  • free and open-source

And it's, it's also open source, right?

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Examples

  • And that was to be built on the principles of open source software.

  • And could you explain what open source means for people who aren't familiar with it?

  • And it's, it's also open source, right?

    MIT OpenCourseWare

  • But with something that is open source, well, it's just difficult.

  • The strategy now is get it out there open source so anybody can access it.

    Shawn Ryan Show

  • But like any open source project, you can count on three things.

  • There is a very vibrant open source community around this project.

  • It's an Internet of Things home with open source electronics and open source furniture.

    Arduino

  • And this week they announced an open source project for a pair of AR glasses.

  • The team is turning their 30-acre farm into a center for developing open-source machines.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

free software
vsopen-source
  • Specialized
9 3.2

A computer program with its code available that you can use, change, and share without paying

has source code publicly available rather than stressing unrestricted rights

Antonyms

proprietary
  • Specialized
57 7.0

A product owned and sold only by the company that made it

How Open

public domain
  • Specialized
25 3.7
commons
  • Specialized
1 4.2
open-source
  • Specialized
51 3.7
data grid
  • Specialized
5.6
restricted
18 3.9
private
∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

open-source positive

Morphology

open-source = open + source (transparent) = open + source

The meaning is directly describable as 'source' that is 'open' (i.e., freely available), which is clear to learners who know both components.

Etymology

Open-source comes from two simple parts: open meaning 'not closed' and source meaning 'where something comes from'. So, when software is open-source, the 'source' is the program code that anyone can see, change, and share.