transcribe

verb

tran·​scribe tran(t)-ˈskrīb How to pronounce transcribe (audio)
transcribed; transcribing

transitive verb

1
a
: to make a written copy of
b
: to make a copy of (dictated or recorded matter) in longhand or on a machine (such as a typewriter)
c
: to paraphrase or summarize in writing
2
a
: to represent (speech sounds) by means of phonetic symbols
c
: to transfer (data) from one recording form to another
d
: to record (as on magnetic tape) for later broadcast
3
: to make a musical transcription of
4
: to cause (DNA or RNA) to undergo genetic transcription
transcriber noun

Examples of transcribe in a Sentence

He transcribed all of his great-grandfather's letters. The senator's speech was transcribed. a Mozart string quartet transcribed for piano a system that allows linguists to transcribe the sounds of any language
Recent Examples on the Web Incorrectly transcribed documents must be corrected, which consumes valuable time and resources. Beth Worthy, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 Without digital tools to aid our reporting in the courtroom, reporters will rely on handwritten notes that will be transcribed outside of the court and then form the basis of our daily reporting. Eric Larsen, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Oct. 2024 Both versions of Harris’ response are transcribed below. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 10 Oct. 2024 While many in the audience understood the director’s native Mandarin, his translator transcribed as quickly as possible for the English speakers. Cori Murray, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for transcribe 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transcribe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin transcribere, from trans- + scribere to write — more at scribe

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of transcribe was in 1552

Cite this Entry

“Transcribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transcribe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

transcribe

verb
tran·​scribe tran(t)s-ˈkrīb How to pronounce transcribe (audio)
transcribed; transcribing
1
a
: to make a written copy of
b
: to make a copy of (dictated or recorded matter) by hand or on a machine (as a typewriter)
2
: to represent speech sounds with phonetic symbols
transcriber noun

Medical Definition

transcribe

transitive verb
tran·​scribe tran(t)s-ˈkrīb How to pronounce transcribe (audio)
transcribed; transcribing
: to cause (as DNA) to undergo genetic transcription

More from Merriam-Webster on transcribe

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