translate

verb

trans·late | \ tran(t)s-ˈlāt

, tranz-; ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt, ˈtranz-\

translated; translating

Definition of translate

transitive verb

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

(2) : to express in more comprehensible terms : explain, interpret

2a : to bear, remove, or change from one place, state, form, or appearance to another : transfer, transform translate ideas into action

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

intransitive verb

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

3 : lead, result —usually used with into believes that tax cuts will translate into economic growth

Other Words from translate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about translate

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Other Words from translate

translatability \ (ˌ)tran(t)s-ˌlā-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

, (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

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

Synonyms & Antonyms for translate

Synonyms

paraphrase, rephrase, restate, reword

Antonyms

quote

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ackerman has translated his experience into literary acclaim. — Teresa Fazio, Washington Post, "Veterans’ memoirs go beyond the stereotypes," 5 July 2019 From above, the garden’s stone outline resembles a flower — Flores translates to flowers in English — and includes a row of dark stone evoking the thin blue line of police. — Hasiten Willis, ajc, "Memorial garden honors first Latino police officer killed in Atlanta," 5 July 2019 The notoriety of Stromboli’s active volcano has even translated into popular culture. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "Volcano on Stromboli Erupts Killing Hiker During Walk with Falling Stones: The 'Sky Is Full of Ash'," 3 July 2019 Why can't that same experience translate over to the Mac? — Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, "Catalyst deep dive: The future of Mac software according to Apple and devs," 1 July 2019 What this translates to is after the frost in fall when the plants die back. — oregonlive.com, "Need tips on how to prune back a rhododendron? Ask an Expert," 29 June 2019 When all was said and done, the thousands in donations translated to $4 million in medical debt relief for people around Indiana. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "A cat dad, a warrior mom and a pink rainbow!," 29 June 2019 Twenty-two gigawatts of wind turbines translates to roughly 10,000 ungainly machines, each perched on a 200-foot or higher tower and requiring routine in-place maintenance. — WSJ, "Plugging in the Wind Is a Complicated Issue," 28 June 2019 Its name translates to Little Red Book in English, but that’s not a reference to a title usually associated with Chinese leader Mao Zedong—the two have quite different names in Chinese. — Tracy Qu, Quartz, "A red-hot Chinese shopping-review app shows the future of your online shopping experience," 28 June 2019

These 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.