Synonyms

translate

American

[trans-layt, tranz-, trans-layt, tranz-] / trænsˈleɪt, trænz-, ˈtræns leɪt, ˈtrænz- /

verb (used with object)

to turn from one language into another or from a foreign language into one's own.

to translate Spanish.
to change the form, condition, nature, etc., of; transform; convert.

to translate wishes into deeds.
to explain in terms that can be more easily understood; interpret.
to bear, carry, or move from one place, position, etc., to another; transfer.
Mechanics. to cause (a body) to move without rotation or angular displacement; subject to translation.
Computers. to convert (a program, data, code, etc.) from one form to another.

to translate a FORTRAN program into assembly language.
Telegraphy. to retransmit or forward (a message), as by a relay.
Ecclesiastical.
1. to move (a bishop) from one see to another.
2. to move (a see) from one place to another.
3. to move (relics) from one place to another.
to convey or remove to heaven without natural death.
Mathematics. to perform a translation on (a set, function, etc.).
to express the value of (a currency) in a foreign currency by applying the exchange rate.
to exalt in spiritual or emotional ecstasy; enrapture.

verb (used without object)

to provide or make a translation; act as translator.
to admit of translation.

The Greek expression does not translate easily into English.

translate British

/ trænsˈleɪt, trænz- /

verb

to express or be capable of being expressed in another language or dialect

he translated Shakespeare into Afrikaans
his books translate well
(intr) to act as translator
(tr) to express or explain in simple or less technical language
(tr) to interpret or infer the significance of (gestures, symbols, etc)
(tr) to transform or convert

to translate hope into reality
(tr; usually passive) biochem to transform the molecular structure of (messenger RNA) into a polypeptide chain by means of the information stored in the genetic code See also transcribe
to move or carry from one place or position to another
(tr)
1. to transfer (a cleric) from one ecclesiastical office to another
2. to transfer (a see) from one place to another
(tr) RC Church to transfer (the body or the relics of a saint) from one resting place to another
(tr) theol to transfer (a person) from one place or plane of existence to another, as from earth to heaven
maths physics to move (a figure or body) laterally, without rotation, dilation, or angular displacement
(intr) (of an aircraft, missile, etc) to fly or move from one position to another
archaic (tr) to bring to a state of spiritual or emotional ecstasy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of translate

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English translaten, from Latin trānslātus “borne across,” past participle of trānsferre “to bear across,” from trāns- trans- + ferre “to bear, bring, carry” ( see also bear ¹); for the suppletive element -lātus, earlier tlātus (unrecorded), see also thole ², tolerate

Explanation

To translate is to put into a different language or interpret. If your brother says, "Gee, Mom, all of my friends have really cool pets, like snakes and stuff," you can translate that statement to mean "I want a snake." Translate comes from the Latin translates, which means "carry across." The word isn't limited to talking about language. You can translate sales into dollars, or a play into a movie. When used that way, translate means changing something from one form to another.

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Vocabulary lists containing translate

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

translate translates translated translating

Those results give the researchers greater confidence that the effects seen in laboratory studies could eventually translate into meaningful pain relief for patients.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

It said the shareholder return plan was designed to ensure that the "fruits of the company's growth translate into tangible benefits" for shareholders.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

I wanted to know whether the prayer and applause would translate into anything.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

First OpenAI and then numerous other companies began offering large language models that could write prose, translate speech, produce videos on command and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

“I can understand how all the concepts that Blue was using translate into planning for an engagement,” Van Riper says.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Central to both Steinbeck’s novel and Kazan’s update is the author’s interpretation of the Hebrew word timshel, which he translates as “thou mayest.”

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

She currently translates Greek and Egyptian writing preserved on ancient papyri at UC Berkeley's Center for the Tebtunis Papyri in the Bancroft Library.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

The party took 26% of the vote, which translates to 47 out of 158 seats in the metropolitan legislature.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Those companies are “where actual deployment of AI systems translates into demand for networking, servers and other physical infrastructure,” he noted.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Brother Quang translates into a microphone, his voice sad and slow.

From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

If the approach can be translated to people, it could remove much of the manufacturing, expense, and delay that currently limits access to CAR-T therapy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

"The decline in crude should theoretically be a tailwind for risk, although that has not translated meaningfully into the broader equity tape," said Chris Weston at Pepperstone.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

So far, the run-up in wheat futures hasn’t translated into substantial price increases on U.S. store shelves, but that is likely to change if supplies remain tight, analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Essential materials for parents would no longer have to be translated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

The aide translated key passages into Russian for the officials gathered at the long table.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Proponents say that the blockchain could accelerate the process of stock transactions by cutting out the middlemen, ultimately translating to lower trading costs and higher returns for investors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The bust on sale depicts Daphne, Apollo's first love in Greek mythology, and is inscribed with the Latin phrase "me fecit Roma" - translating to "Rome made me".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

And inside their homes, parents find ways to impart their own lessons, translating trauma into family history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Analysts believe this shift reduces the risk of a gas price spike translating into electricity bill hikes as severe as those seen in 2022, although costs are still expected to rise.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

“Busy little wild card,” he says in French, his words translating in my view.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023