interpreter

noun

in·​ter·​pret·​er in-ˈtər-prə-tər 

-pə-

plural interpreters

1

: someone or something that interprets: such as

a

: someone who translates for individuals or groups conversing in different languages

an interpreter at the United Nations

a sign language interpreter

b

: someone who explains or expounds

Aside from his Nobel Prize-winning work on quantum electrodynamics (don't ask), [Richard P.] Feynman was an interpreter of Maya hieroglyphics …

—Pam Freir

2

a

: a machine that prints on punch cards the symbols recorded in them by perforations

b

: a computer program that executes each of a set of high-level instructions before going to the next instruction

Synonyms

• exponent
• expounder
• guru
• high priest
• practitioner

Examples of interpreter in a Sentence

He has now learned English well enough that he can conduct interviews without an interpreter.

Monet is generally regarded as the foremost interpreter of pure impressionism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Scenes where Engelhart is giving us tours around Chemnitz or us in the basement of this museum were shot without interpreters, because Jamie deliberately wanted to have no barrier between her and them. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2025

Amin moved to Dallas, where other Afghans who served as interpreters for U.S. soldiers had resettled and became a citizen in March 2023. —Bruce Finley, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2025

Each member of the cast is a supreme interpreter of Sondheim’s words, a deceptively difficult task for even the most gifted performers. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Feb. 2025

No matter how conservative the justices might be, their primary identity comes from their role as interpreters of the Constitution and laws. —Noah Feldman, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing interpreter

• through an interpreter

Kids Definition

interpreter

noun

in·​ter·​pret·​er in-ˈtər-prət-ər 

1

: one that interprets

especially : a person who translates orally for people speaking different languages

2

: a computer program that translates an instruction into machine language and executes it before going to the next instruction