encoded; encoding; encodes
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 ideology …—
J. D. Niles
J. D. Niles2
: 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
That matters because spin is a fundamental property of electrons and can be used to encode and transmit information.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Huge amounts of data could be archived in a compact format for millennia, by using lasers to encode that data into glass.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The answer lies in the silent message encoded in the concrete.
—Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet the statement encodes an aspiration and an expectation, if not always an enforceable law.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encode
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Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Huge amounts of data could be archived in a compact format for millennia, by using lasers to encode that data into glass.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The answer lies in the silent message encoded in the concrete.
—Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet the statement encodes an aspiration and an expectation, if not always an enforceable law.
—Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encode
Cite this Entry
“Encode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encode. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encode
verb
en·code
in-ˈkōd 
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-
encoded; encoding
: to specify the genetic code for
each nucleotide triplet or codon on the mRNA chain encodes a specific amino acid—J. E. Darnell, Jr.
J. E. Darnell, Jr.Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
