forward compatibility

== English == === Etymology === From forward (adjective) +‎ compatibility (noun). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌfɔːwəd kəmˌpætəˈbɪlɪti/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌfɔɹwəɹd kəmˌpætəˈbɪləti/, [-ɾi] Rhymes: -ɪlɪti Hyphenation: for‧ward com‧pat‧i‧bil‧i‧ty === Noun === forward compatibility (uncountable) (computer hardware, software) The capability of an electronic device, a piece of software, etc., to interoperate with anticipated future systems. [from late 20th c.] Synonym: upward compatibility Coordinate terms: backward compatibility, backwards compatibility ==== Alternative forms ==== forwards compatibility ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === Further reading === forward compatibility on Wikipedia.Wikipedia “forward compatibility, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2026. “forwards compatibility, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2025.