To save this word, you'll need to log in.
trans·late | \ tran(t)s-ˈlāt 
, tranz-; ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt, ˈtranz- \
, tranz-; ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt, ˈtranz- \translated; translating
Definition of translate
1a : to turn into one's own or another language
b : to transfer or turn from one set of symbols into another : transcribe
c(1) : to express in different terms and especially different words : paraphrase
b : to convey to heaven or to a nontemporal condition without death
c : to transfer (a bishop) from one see to another
3 : enrapture
4 : to subject to mathematical translation
5 : to subject (genetic information) to translation in protein synthesis
1 : to practice translation or make a translation also : to admit of or be adaptable to translation a word that doesn't translate easily
2 : to undergo a translation
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from translate
translatability \ (ˌ)tran(t)s-ˌlā-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē , (ˌ)tranz- \ noun
, (ˌ)tranz- \ noun
The translatability of other native two-dimensional designs into the commercial medium of silk screens, however, may not be so clearcut. — Margaret B. Blackman et al.
translatable \ tran(t)s-ˈlā-tə-bəl , tranz- \ adjective
, tranz- \ adjective
The word is of Derrida's own coinage and is deliberately ambiguous (and therefore not translatable), being derived from the French … — Ann Jefferson
… but the resultant information is spotty and not readily translatable into an average national trend. — Barry Commoner
translator \ ˈtran(t)s-ˌlā-tər , ˈtranz- ; tran(t)s-ˈlā-tər , tranz- \ noun
, ˈtranz- ; tran(t)s-ˈlā-tər , tranz- \ noun
Examples of translate in a Sentence
My client speaks only Spanish. Will you translate for me?
The French word “bonjour” translates as “hello” in English.
We need someone who can translate Japanese into English.
We have translated the report.
The book has been translated into 37 languages.
Can you translate this technical jargon?
Seventy million Americans—that translates into one American out of every four—are under the age of 24.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web Deon Cain failed to translate his preseason potential into regular-season production.
—
Joel A. Erickson, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: If 'Run the Damn Ball' is going to work, Colts have to hit more big passing plays," 22 Nov. 2019 High savings rates in Asia continue to translate into large current-account surpluses.
—
The Economist, "Excess Asian savings are weighing on global interest rates," 21 Nov. 2019 This private equity story, and even the broader Wall Street story, is hard to translate to the general public unless there’s some negative going on.
—
BostonGlobe.com, "Deval Patrick worked at Bain Capital, a one-time Democratic target. How will voters respond now? - The Boston Globe," 15 Nov. 2019 What happened next is the topic of Ford v Ferrari, the latest attempt by Hollywood to translate motorsport to the silver screen.
—
Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Ford v Ferrari review: A big-budget, big-screen take on racing in the 1960s," 15 Nov. 2019 That seemed to translate to some soft ticket sales Tuesday.
—
Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Dirt bikes and pyro can't save the Chainsmokers' mindless Milwaukee show, but 5 Seconds of Summer a blast," 13 Nov. 2019 August 2017: The apex court decides to start the final hearings on Dec. 5 and directs the UP government to translate the case documents running into over 9,000 pages within 12 weeks.
—
Sangeeta Tanwar, Quartz India, "A timeline of a land dispute that has ripped India’s heart apart over seven decades," 9 Nov. 2019 Meanwhile, Democratic enthusiasm continues to translate into cash flow.
—
Ken Pomponio, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "NFL Best Bets: Three underdog locks for Week 9," 31 Oct. 2019 There’s nothing from the previous game that’s going to directly translate into us making a play.
—
Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "UCF hopes to keep things grounded after rushing explosion against Temple," 27 Oct. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'translate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for translate
translate
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of translate
: to change words from one language into another language
: to explain (something) in a way that is easier to understand
: to have the same meaning
See the full definition for translate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
translate
verbtrans·late | \ trans-ˈlāt \
\translated; translating
Kids Definition of translate
1 : to turn from one language into another
2 : to change from one form to another
Let's translate words into action.
translate
transitive verbtrans·late | \ tran(t)s-ˈlāt, tranz- \
\translated; translating
Medical Definition of translate
: to subject (as genetic information) to translation in protein synthesis
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on translate
What made you want to look up translate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share translate
Time Traveler for translate
The first known use of translate was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century