conversion

[ kuh n-vur-zhuh n, -shuh n ]

/ kənˈvɜr ʒən, -ʃən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR conversion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of converting; state of being converted.

change in character, form, or function.

spiritual change from sinfulness to righteousness.

change from one religion, political belief, viewpoint, etc., to another.

a change of attitude, emotion, or viewpoint from one of indifference, disbelief, or antagonism to one of acceptance, faith, or enthusiastic support, especially such a change in a person's religion.

a physical transformation from one material or state to another: conversion of coal, water, and air into nylon.

the act of obtaining equivalent value, as of money or units of measurement, in an exchange or calculation: conversion of francs into dollars.

a physical, structural, or design change or transformation from one state or condition to another, especially to effect a change in function: conversion of a freighter into a passenger liner.

a substitution of one component for another so as to effect a change: conversion from oil heat to gas heat.

Mathematics. a change in the form or units of an expression.

Logic. the transposition of the subject and predicate of a proposition, as “No good man is unhappy” becomes by conversion “No unhappy man is good.”

Law.

unauthorized assumption and exercise of rights of ownership over personal property belonging to another.
change from realty into personalty, or vice versa, as in the sale or purchase of land or mining coal.

Football. a score made on a try for a point after touchdown by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the bar between the goalposts or by completing a pass in or running the ball into the end zone.

Psychoanalysis. the process by which a repressed psychic event, idea, feeling, memory, or impulse is represented by a bodily change or symptom.

Physics. the production of radioactive material in a process in which one nuclear fuel is converted into another by the capture of neutrons.Compare breeding(def 6).

Computers.

the process of changing software designed to run on one computer system to run on another.
the change from an existing computer system to a new computer system.
the act of transferring or copying data stored on one storage medium to another storage medium.
the process of changing the base that a number or numbers are written in.

the transformation of material from a form suitable for printing by one process to a form suitable for another process: a halftone gravure conversion.

Nearby words

conversationalist, conversazione, converse, converse, frederick shepherd, conversely, conversion, conversion disorder, conversion ratio, conversion table, conversive heat, conversus

Origin of conversion

1300–50; Middle English conversio(u)n (< Anglo-French) < Latin conversiōn- (stem of conversiō) a complete change. See converse², -ion

Related formscon·ver·sion·al, con·ver·sion·ar·y

[kuh n-vur-zhuh-ner-ee, -shuh-] /kənˈvɜr ʒəˌnɛr i, -ʃə-/, adjectivenon·con·ver·sion, nounpre·con·ver·sion, nounsem·i·con·ver·sion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for conversion

Indeed, every teacher is expected to be a Muslim by birth or conversion.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Experts hypothesize the painting represents the “conquest dance,” a Christian conversion ritual still performed to this day.
7 Historically Significant Artifacts Rescued by Happenstance|The Daily Beast|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That conversion is something Florida resident Tom Quigley, the man behind the CannaEd conference, understands well.
Ganjapreneurs Line Up to Get Florida High|Abby Haglage|July 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yes, but the act of conversion is the heart of the Southern Baptist brand.
Did the Southern Baptist ‘Conservative Resurgence’ Fail?|Molly Worthen|June 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque would have international implications.
From Museum To Mosque?|Thomas Seibert|December 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Our scrupulous soldiers feel edified at my conversion, and now no longer reproach me with too much love for joy, wine and women!
The Casque's Lark|Eugne Sue
No man dreamed of giving up his Slaves because of his conversion.
The Way to Abolish Slavery|Charles Stearns
There was no flies on my conversion, I can tell you; I 'ad real live scruples; I'd been thinkin' too much.
General Bramble|Andr Maurois
When you perceive the effects of conversion, never question the cause.
The Sheepfold and the Common, Vol. II (of 2)|Timothy East
The period of the first attempts at conversion was not well chosen.
Sweden|Victor Nilsson

British Dictionary definitions for conversion

conversion

/ (kənˈvɜːʃən) /

noun

a change or adaptation in form, character, or function
something changed in one of these respects

a change to another attitude or belief, as in a change of religion

maths a change in the units or form of a number or expressionthe conversion of miles to kilometres involves multiplying by 1.61

logic a form of inference by which one proposition is obtained as the converse of another proposition

law

unauthorized dealing with or the assumption of rights of ownership to another's personal property
the changing of real property into personalty or personalty into realty

rugby a score made after a try by kicking the ball over the crossbar from a place kick

physics a change of fertile material to fissile material in a reactor

an alteration to a car engine to improve its performance
(as modifier)a conversion kit

material alteration to the structure or fittings of a building undergoing a change in function or legal status

NZ the unauthorized appropriation of a motor vehicle

Derived Formsconversional or conversionary, adjective

Word Origin for conversion

C14: from Latin conversiō a turning around; see convert

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

Medicine definitions for conversion

conversion

[ kən-vûr′zhən, -shən ]

n.

The acquisition by bacteria of a new property associated with presence of a prophage.

A defense mechanism in which repressed ideas, conflicts, or impulses are manifested by various bodily symptoms, such as paralysis or breathing difficulties, that have no physical cause.

Related formscon•ver′sive (-sĭv) adj.

conversion

noun

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Origin of conversion

Examples from the Web for conversion

British Dictionary definitions for conversion

conversion

noun

Word Origin for conversion

Medicine definitions for conversion

conversion

n.