interpretation

American  

[in-tur-pri-tay-shuhn] / ɪnˌtɜr prɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

• interpretations
  plural

1. the act of interpreting; elucidation; explication.

   This writer's work demands interpretation.

2. an explanation of the meaning of another's artistic or creative work; an elucidation.

   an interpretation of a poem.

3. a conception of another's behavior.

   a charitable interpretation of his tactlessness.

4. a way of interpreting.

5. the rendering of a dramatic part, music, etc., so as to bring out the meaning, or to indicate one's particular conception of it.

6. oral translation.

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interpretation British  

/ ɪnˌtɜːprɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of interpreting or explaining; elucidation

2. the result of interpreting; an explanation

3. a particular view of an artistic work, esp as expressed by stylistic individuality in its performance

4. explanation, as of the environment, a historical site, etc, provided by the use of original objects, personal experience, visual display material, etc

5. logic an allocation of significance to the terms of a purely formal system, by specifying ranges for the variables, denotations for the individual constants, etc; a function from the formal language to such elements of a possible world

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overinterpretation
  noun
• preinterpretation
  noun
• reinterpretation
  noun
• self-interpretation
  noun
• interpretational
  adjective
• noninterpretational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• interpretations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of interpretation

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin interpretātiōn-, stem of interpretātiō; equivalent to interpret ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

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Explanation

When your favorite band covers a classic tune, their version is their interpretation — their translation — of the music. Is it better than the original? That's up for interpretation. Interpretation is the act of explaining, reframing, or otherwise showing your own understanding of something. A person who translates one language into another is called an interpreter because they are explaining what a person is saying to someone who doesn't understand. Interpretation requires you to first understand the piece of music, text, language, or idea, and then give your explanation of it. A computer may produce masses of data, but it will require your interpretation of the data for people to understand it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interpretation interpretations

“If you ask Hospital A, Hospital B, or any federally qualified health center how they measure the accuracy of interpretation, they’ll all give you the same answer: We let the vendor tell us,” Patel said.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

Germany wanted less stringent carbon emission targets for carmakers and a broad interpretation of "made in Europe" to include key non-EU trade partners.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

In Scotland, another employment tribunal found, in December 2025, that a nurse, Sandie Peggie, had been harassed by NHS Fife over its interpretation of rules on single sex spaces.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Their interpretation suggests that the superconducting state exchanges virtual photons with the dark cavity.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

His focus is one instilled by mentors at the seminary: “Either we are with the poor, or we are not. God teaches us to most help the poor. Any other interpretation is unacceptable.”

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Modern art history has brought renewed acclaim, and a bounty of new interpretations have given the room newfound relevance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Following the recent success of the new Christopher Nolan film based on the epic poem, curators said they hoped there would be renewed interest in artists' interpretations of Homer's work.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

That makes these ideas different from many interpretations of quantum mechanics.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

The sanitised history has left space for romanticised interpretations among youths frustrated by long working hours and intense competition in education and the job market.

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

The seer was a specialist in the casting of twigs; he threw them on the ground, and made interpretations based on how they fell.

From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

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Related Words

• analysis
• clarification
• explanation
• judgment
• meaning
• perception
• reading
• translation

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