coding

American  

[koh-ding] / ˈkoʊ dɪŋ /

noun

1. Computers. the act or process of writing code, or the instructions for a program or piece of software.

   There’s a bit of coding left to do, and then we’ll be ready to beta-test.

   He likes to do the software design, but leaves the actual coding to others.

2. the act or process of expressing a message in words, images, sounds, or any other set of symbols or signs; encoding.

   The secret coding of ship messages hindered rescue efforts during the war.

   In advertising, the coding of your message can make or break your marketing strategy.

3. the act or process of categorizing or identifying a set of things by assigning a code to them.

   Using color coding along with the bin labels will increase the sorting productivity and accuracy of mail clerks.

4. Statistics. the act of transforming a random variable into one that is more convenient for certain types of analysis or for the removal of invalid data.

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Etymology

Origin of coding

First recorded in 1865–70 originally used for telegraphy; code + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

A.I. coding has taken software development by storm.

From Slate • Apr. 14, 2026

While most of the coding issues may be minor, their sheer volume has amplified the risk that smaller software developers will become overwhelmed with reports of bugs such as the one Mythos found.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

All the while, OpenAI’s coding product Codex and this new foray into ads have remained key pillars of the company’s business.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Ninety percent of Tubi’s coding pull requests are written by AI coding assistants, Bidgoli said, and it has launched AI agents to accelerate other aspects of its software engineering and business processes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Others offered her “unbreakable” coding and cipher systems—usually for a high price.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield