transpose

[ verb trans-pohz; noun trans-pohz ]

verb (used with object)

, trans·posed, trans·pos·ing.

1. to change the relative position, order, or sequence of; cause to change places; interchange:

   to transpose the third and fourth letters of a word.

   Synonyms: rearrange

2. to transfer or transport.
3. Algebra. to bring (a term) from one side of an equation to the other, with corresponding change of sign.

   Synonyms: invert

4. Mathematics. (of a matrix) to interchange rows and columns.
5. Music. to reproduce in a different key, by raising or lowering in pitch.

   Synonyms: rearrange

6. to transform; transmute.

verb (used without object)

, trans·posed, trans·pos·ing.

1. to perform a piece of music in a key other than the one in which it is written:

   to transpose at sight.

noun

1. Mathematics. a matrix formed from a given matrix by transposing.

transpose

/ trænsˈpəʊz /

verb

1. tr to alter the positions of; interchange, as words in a sentence; put into a different order
2. music
   1. to play (notes, music, etc) in a different key from that originally intended
   2. to move (a note or series of notes) upwards or downwards in pitch
3. tr maths to move (a term) from one side of an equation to the other with a corresponding reversal in sign

noun

1. maths the matrix resulting from interchanging the rows and columns of a given matrix

transpose

/ trăns-pōz′ /

1. To move a term or quantity from one side of an algebraic equation to the other by adding or subtracting that term to or from both sides. By subtracting 2 from both sides of the equation 2 + x = 4, one can transpose the 2 to the other side, yielding x = 4 − 2, and thus determine that x equals 2.

Derived Forms

• transˌposaˈbility, noun
• transˈposal, noun
• transˈposable, adjective
• transˈposer, noun

Other Words From

• trans·posa·ble adjective
• trans·posa·bili·ty noun
• trans·poser noun
• nontrans·posa·ble adjective
• nontrans·posing adjective
• untrans·posed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of transpose¹

1350–1400; Middle English transposen to transmute < Middle French transposer. See trans-, pose ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of transpose¹

C14: from Old French transposer , from Latin transpōnere to remove, from trans- + pōnere to place

Example Sentences

These discs, titled Miracle, transpose the invisible concept of ālaya into a tangible object.

From The Daily Beast

I always thought, they would need to be an evidence to the story, and the way I would transpose it.

From The Daily Beast

I transpose; all have What harme was (but harm is monosyllabic, and the line is then bad).

From Project Gutenberg

I absorbed this idea almost unconsciously, and hardly know when I learned to transpose, so natural did it seem to me.

From Project Gutenberg

Omit e corn, for bit read bite (so too at l. 211), and transpose, otwinne bite.

From Project Gutenberg

She used to give me very little time in which to transpose her songs, and insisted on their being finished when she wanted them.

From Project Gutenberg

He is a great reader, of course, and can transpose at sight, and all that sort of thing.

From Project Gutenberg