code

noun \ ˈkōd \

|Updated on: 23 Jun 2018

Examples: code in a Sentence

Definition of code

plural codes

1 : a systematic statement of a body of law; especially : one given statutory force

2 : a system of principles or rules

moral code

3 a : a system of signals or symbols for communication

b : a system of symbols (such as letters or numbers) used to represent assigned and often secret meanings

c : coded language : a word or phrase chosen in place of another word or phrase in order to communicate an attitude or meaning without stating it explicitly

The strategy also appealed to blue-collar workers in the Northeast and Northwest who were opposed to "forced bussing." This was expressed in code as favoring "law and order" and opposing "crime in the streets."
—Elizabeth Drew

—usually used with for

I hear the word "development" a lot in public speech; politicians and activists use it as code for a lot of things—jobs, health care, a change in leadership.
—Sallie Tisdale

This quarter-century of Republican momentum was reversed finally by Bill Clinton, who called himself a "New Democrat," code for "not a liberal."
—Joshua Muravchik

4 : genetic code

5 : instructions for a computer (as within a piece of software)

writing code for a new app

—

codeless

play \ˈkōd-ləs\ adjective

See code defined for English-language learners

See code defined for kids

Examples of code in a Sentence

Everyone in the organization has to follow its code of ethics.
The army has a strict code of conduct.
The enemy was unable to break the army's secret code.
The message was sent in code.
Every item in the store has a product code.
Enter your security code to access the computer.
Each employee is given a code number.
He was hired to write programming code.

Recent Examples of code from the Web

For one thing, low-income drivers often live in multi-unit dwellings, whose building codes would need to be updated to accommodate EV charging spaces.

— maxine joselow, Scientific American, "Electric Car Advocates Want to Expand Access to Low-Income Communities," 20 June 2018
While a settlement was reached over the Potomac Avenue bike lane, the fire code question has delayed construction of other bike lanes across the city.

— colin campbell, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore City Council delays vote on removing fire code requirement on road clearance," 19 June 2018
Prosecutors also charged him with transmitting malicious computer code and improperly gaining access to a delicate government computer system.

— adam goldman, New York Times, "New Charges in Huge C.I.A. Breach Known as Vault 7," 18 June 2018
The move is the first time codes and regulation officials have levied such a stiff punishment against a for-profit business, according to a city spokesman.

— darcy costello and emma austin, The Courier-Journal, "City slaps busy gas station with first-of-its-kind order to vacate," 18 June 2018
So Jacobson created computer code that maps genes into a giant network to help study interactions.

— NBC News, "5 ways the world's fastest supercomputer could change the world," 18 June 2018
If the assessment determines the student shows a high risk for suicide, he or she will be placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, also known as a code 5150.

— sarah ravani, SFChronicle.com, "San Mateo County schools step up suicide prevention efforts," 18 June 2018
Officials also have issued a code orange air-quality alert for the region, which means pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for sensitive groups that include children, the elderly and people suffering from asthma or heart and lung diseases.

— joseph a. gambardello, Philly.com, "Philadelphia heat alert: It's going to feel hotter than 100 today," 18 June 2018
There’s the normally passive Bernard, who finally stands up and embraces his own agency by deleting the Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) code that’s hitched a ride inside his robot brain.

— bryan bishop, The Verge, "Westworld Spoilers Club season 2, episode 9: Vanishing Point," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'code.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of code

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin caudex, codex trunk of a tree, document formed originally from wooden tablets

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

code Synonyms

Synonyms

canon, constitution, decalogue, law;

Related Words

discipline, establishment;

common law, legislation;

code

verb

Definition of code

coded; coding

transitive verb

: to put in or into the form or symbols of a code

intransitive verb

1 : to specify the genetic code

a gene that codes for a protein

2 : to create or edit computer code

She got a job coding for Google.

—

codable

play \ˈkō-də-bəl\ adjective

—

coder

noun

See code defined for English-language learners

Examples of code in a Sentence

The general sent a coded message.
Each product has been coded.

Recent Examples of code from the Web

More app developers must code their apps to the ARM architecture.

— mark hachman, PCWorld, "Qualcomm's Snapdragon 850 PC chip boosts performance, pushes battery life to a new high," 4 June 2018
The two met in June at Girl Develop It, a class for female entrepreneurs to learn how to code in no-judgment zones.

— elizabeth wellington, Philly.com, "'And We Evolve': The Philly business designed to help fashionistas shop conscientiously | Elizabeth Wellington," 23 May 2018
Cops look at a panel of 20 regions of repeating locations in the genome that don’t code for proteins.

— megan molteni, WIRED, "Detectives Cracked the Golden State Killer Case Using Genetics," 27 Apr. 2018
But that issue overlooks a more practical concern: how to design and code such a blended machine.

— matthew hutson, Science | AAAS, "How researchers are teaching AI to learn like a child," 24 May 2018
Everyone Can Code is designed to teach students how to code and prepares them for today's workplace.

— erin edgemon, AL.com, "Birmingham officials exploring partnership with Apple," 4 Apr. 2018
Geoscience Australia, a part of the Australian government, is behind the project of getting the Geocentric Datum of Australia, the country's national coordinate system, up to code and bring it in line with international data.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Australia's GPS Was Off Because the Whole Country Moved," 29 July 2016
Model-entrepreneur Karlie Kloss is hosting four free summer camps in the Chicago area to empower girls to learn how to code and become tech leaders.

— tracy swartz, chicagotribune.com, "Model Karlie Kloss hosting four summer coding camps in Chicago area," 2 Apr. 2018
Both hearken back to the beginning days of the internet when HTML was the primary way to code a page and embedding a link could have been considered an accomplishment.

— shannon liao, The Verge, "Reddit begins rolling out first redesign in a decade," 2 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of code

1815

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

CODE Defined for English Language Learners

code

noun

Definition of code for English Language Learners

: a set of laws or regulations
: a set of ideas or rules about how to behave
: a set of letters, numbers, symbols, etc., that is used to secretly send messages to someone

code

verb

Definition of code for English Language Learners

: to put (a message) into the form of a code so that it can be kept secret
: to mark (something) with a code so that it can be identified
: to change (information) into a set of letters, numbers, or symbols that can be read by a computer

CODE Defined for Kids

code

noun \ ˈkōd \

Definition of code for Students

1 : a system of rules or principles

a code of conduct

2 : a system of signals or letters and symbols with special meanings used for sending messages

3 : a collection of laws

criminal code

4 : genetic code

5 : a set of instructions for a computer

code

verb

Definition of code for Students

coded; coding

: to put in the form of a code

Medical Dictionary

code

noun \ ˈkōd \

medical Definition of code

1 : genetic code

2 : code blue

code

verb

medical Definition of code

coded; coding

transitive verb

: to specify the genetic code for

an amino acid coded by a nucleotide sequence

intransitive verb

1 : to specify the genetic code

the DNA sequence of the gene that codes for that protein
—Gina B. Kolata

2 : to experience cardiac arrest or respiratory failure

They were taking her up to the operating room and she coded in the hallway. The resuscitation effort was heroic.
—Perri Klass, Discover, November 1986

Law Dictionary

code

noun

legal Definition of code

1 : a systematic compilation or revision of law or legal principles that is arranged especially by subject: as

a : one that contains the law of a specific jurisdiction or topic promulgated by legislative authority

U.S. Code

Code of Massachusetts Regulations

building code

— compare case law, digest, statute

b : one that serves as a model for legislation but is not itself a law

Model Penal Code

2 : a set of rules or regulations that is promulgated by a body (as a professional organization) and that regulates its industrial or professional practices