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

Individuals wearing smart glasses can take photos, film videos, listen to music, make phone calls, translate text or interact with an AI assistant.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

I asked venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson to translate that into numbers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 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

However, it does not always translate into changes in weather patterns at the Earth's surface.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

To translate it as ‘machine of the world’ is to mistranslate.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

"Cannot wait for this," another said while another fan commented "anghygoel", which translates to amazing.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

“So if a merchant does more sales, and they’re using Shopify Payments, obviously some of that translates back to our financials.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

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

A voice floating in the air scratches a sentence in vuvv and then translates, “Is breakfast included with the double king-size room?”

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson

With more than 10,000 published pieces, mostly into Spanish, Portuguese and English, OKA is, Zimmerman says, the single largest contributor of translated articles to the collaborative online encyclopedia.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Their growing demographic weight, driven by a fertility rate of 6.5 children per woman, has translated into political influence.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

However, those instructions must be translated into physical molecules before they can carry out biological functions.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

At the end of a slow zoom shot, we see the article’s title in Italian until it’s translated for us in English: “A Machine Has Been Invented That Photographs the Past.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Monsieur Dumas was French, but Penelope had read the book in English, for it was extremely popular and had been translated into many languages.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

"The real breakthrough won't come until these systems are not merely capable of translating but also of telling us when they're not sure," Yvon says.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

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

In a note last month, JPMorgan analysts said there are concerns about how quickly Oracle is translating orders into revenue, given the backdrop of data-center delays.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 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

Finally he said, “Reverend Price, do I not stand beside you in your church every Sunday, translating the words of the Bible and your sermons?”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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