translate
verb
trans·late
tran(t)s-ˈlāt 
tranz-;
ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt,
ˈtranz-
translated; translating
1
a
: to turn into one's own or another language
b
: to transfer or turn from one set of symbols into another : transcribe
c(1)
: to express in different terms and especially different words : paraphrase
2
3
4
: to subject to mathematical translation
5
: to subject (genetic information) to translation in protein synthesis
1
: to practice translation or make a translation
also
: to admit of or be adaptable to translation
a word that doesn't translate easily
2
: to undergo a translation
translatability
(ˌ)tran(t)s-ˌlā-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun
(ˌ)tranz-
The translatability of other native two-dimensional designs into the commercial medium of silk screens, however, may not be so clearcut.
—
Margaret B. Blackman et al.
Margaret B. Blackman et al.
translatable
tran(t)s-ˈlā-tə-bəl
adjective
tranz-
The word is of Derrida's own coinage and is deliberately ambiguous (and therefore not translatable), being derived from the French …
—Ann Jefferson
Ann Jefferson
… but the resultant information is spotty and not readily translatable into an average national trend.
—Barry Commoner
Barry Commoner
Examples of translate in a Sentence
My client speaks only Spanish. Will you translate for me?
The French word “bonjour” translates as “hello” in English.
We need someone who can translate Japanese into English.
We have translated the report.
The book has been translated into 37 languages.
Can you translate this technical jargon?
Seventy million Americans—that translates into one American out of every four—are under the age of 24.
Recent Examples on the Web
This translates to a 39 percent surge in total port handling volumes across the continent compared to the previous all-time peak in March 2025, said Sea-Intelligence CEO Alan Murphy.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Last December, Reliance Industries signed a deal to import crude oil worth $12 billion-$13 billion a year from Russia’s Rosneft for 10 years, which would translate to roughly 500,000 barrels per day, according to a report by Reuters.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Anything is possible in the pages of a book, but finding a way to translate that artfully to the screen is a skill Ramsay nails.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for translate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Last December, Reliance Industries signed a deal to import crude oil worth $12 billion-$13 billion a year from Russia’s Rosneft for 10 years, which would translate to roughly 500,000 barrels per day, according to a report by Reuters.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Anything is possible in the pages of a book, but finding a way to translate that artfully to the screen is a skill Ramsay nails.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for translate
Cite this Entry
“Translate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/translate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
translate
verb
trans·late
tran(t)s-ˈlāt
tranz-
tranz-
translated; translating
1
: to change from one place, state, or form to another : transform
translate ideas into action
2
: to transport miraculously to heaven without death
3
a
: to change from one language or set of symbols into another
translate Japanese into English
b
: to express in different words : paraphrase
c
: to explain in a clearer way : interpret
needed a lawyer to translate the contract
4
: to be translated
5
: to have as a result
—usually used with into
believes that more homework will translate into better grades
Medical Definition
translate
transitive verb
trans·late
tran(t)s-ˈlāt, tranz-
translated; translating
: to subject (as genetic information) to translation in protein synthesis
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