Phrase guide

forward compatibility

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌfɔːwəd kəmˌpætəˈbɪlɪti/
  • General-American: /ˌfɔɹwəɹd kəmˌpætəˈbɪləti/
  • General-American: [-ɾi]
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪlɪti

1

noun

Meaning 1

The capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: computer-hardware, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: upward compatibility

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From forward (adjective) + compatibility (noun).

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: توافقية مستقبلية — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Catalan: compatibilitat cap endavant — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Chinese Mandarin: 前向兼容性 (qiánxiàng jiānróngxìng) — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Dutch: voorwaartse compatibiliteit — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Finnish: eteenpäin yhteensopivuus — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • French: compatibilité ascendante — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Georgian: წინთავსებადობა (c̣intavsebadoba) — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • German: Aufwärtskompatibilität — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Japanese: 前方互換性 (zenpōgokansei) — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Korean: 상위 호환성 (sang'wi hohwanseong) — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Māori: hototahi whakamua — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fremoverkompatibilitet — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Russian: совмести́мость сни́зу вве́рх (sovmestímostʹ snízu vvérx) — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Spanish: compatibilidad hacia adelante — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems
  • Swedish: framåtkompabilitet — capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems