encode

verb

en·​code in-ˈkōd How to pronounce encode (audio)
en-
encoded; encoding; encodes

transitive verb

1
a
: to convert (something, such as a body of information) from one system of communication into another
especially : to convert (a message) into code
b
: to convey symbolically
the capacity of poetry to encode ideologyJ. D. Niles
2
: to specify the genetic code for
encoder noun

Examples of encode in a Sentence

Credit cards are encoded with cardholder information. a technology that encodes images
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This overcoming is explicitly encoded in the liturgy: Receiving the Eucharist is a reunion with the body of Christ. Terry Nguyen july 23, Literary Hub, 23 July 2025 The genes of many viruses are encoded in RNA, which was not studied during this project. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025 At its heart, Bitcoin is a story encoded in blocks, a timeless idea rendered in code. Carylyne Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025 Think parsing compliance documents and flagging issues in seconds, automating right-to-work checks across government sites and encoding standard operating procedures (SOPs) into machine-readable rules. Vardhan Kapoor, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for encode

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of encode was circa 1919

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Cite this Entry

“Encode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encode. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

encode

verb
en·​code in-ˈkōd How to pronounce encode (audio)
en-
: to change (as a body of information) from one system of communication into another
especially : to change (a message) into code
encoder noun

Medical Definition

encode

transitive verb
en·​code in-ˈkōd, en- How to pronounce encode (audio)
encoded; encoding
: to specify the genetic code for
each nucleotide triplet or codon on the mRNA chain encodes a specific amino acidJ. E. Darnell, Jr.

More from Merriam-Webster on encode

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