translation

noun

trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce translation (audio)
tranz-
1
: an act, process, or instance of translating: such as
a
: a rendering from one language into another
also : the product of such a rendering
b
: a change to a different substance, form, or appearance : conversion
c(1)
: a transformation of coordinates in which the new axes are parallel to the old ones
(2)
: uniform motion of a body in a straight line
2
: the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA compare transcription sense 3
translational adjective

Examples of translation in a Sentence

She is working on a translation of the novel. a new translation of the Iliad There were English translations on the menu. the translation of economic power into political strength
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) then pushed Apple to open up a lot more and let people select default apps for phone calls, messaging, password managers, keyboards, call spam filters, navigation, and translation apps. Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 And the city of San Diego, which began using language translation tools during the pandemic to help people testifying by Zoom, has made the feature permanent so anyone can watch city meetings in their own language with the touch of a button. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025 Driving the news: Francis' life was at risk twice, his doctors said at a Saturday news conference, per an Associated Press' translation. Avery Lotz, Axios, 23 Mar. 2025 In collaboration with Chicago Children’s Theatre, Gregory and Dietz also co-wrote the new musical, with original compositions by Michael Koerner, Spanish translations by Ana Maria Campoy and music direction by Rob Witmer. Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for translation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of translation was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Translation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/translation. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

translation

noun
trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce translation (audio)
tranz-
1
: an act, process, or product of translating
2
: the process of forming a protein molecule from information contained in a messenger RNA molecule compare transcription sense 3

Medical Definition

translation

noun
trans·​la·​tion tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən, tranz- How to pronounce translation (audio)
: the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA compare transcription
translational adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on translation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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