translation

noun

trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce translation (audio)
tranz-
1
: an act, process, or instance of translating: such as
a
: a rendering from one language into another
also : the product of such a rendering
b
: a change to a different substance, form, or appearance : conversion
c(1)
: a transformation of coordinates in which the new axes are parallel to the old ones
(2)
: uniform motion of a body in a straight line
2
: the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA compare transcription sense 3
translational adjective

Examples of translation in a Sentence

She is working on a translation of the novel. a new translation of the Iliad There were English translations on the menu. the translation of economic power into political strength
Recent Examples on the Web But the award placed the book at the center of a fierce debate about literary translations. Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 See a screenshot of the removed post, and a translation, from a social media account dedicated to sharing RIIZE’s Weverse activities. Jeff Benjamin, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2024 Here’s the full machine translation: October 10, 2024 Game Freak Inc. Notice and apology regarding the leak of personal information due to unauthorized access Game Freak Inc. Adi Robertson, The Verge, 14 Oct. 2024 However, in the intervening months, Google has added full-page text translations, QR code scanning, and song identification to Circle to Search. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for translation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'translation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of translation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near translation

Cite this Entry

“Translation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/translation. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

translation

noun
trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce translation (audio)
tranz-
1
: an act, process, or product of translating
2
: the process of forming a protein molecule from information contained in a messenger RNA molecule compare transcription sense 3

Medical Definition

translation

noun
trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən, tranz- How to pronounce translation (audio)
: the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA compare transcription
translational adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on translation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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