What does "translation" mean?
The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conversion of text from one language to another.
Translation
/tɹænzˈleɪʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conversion of text from one language to another.
- Grammar: translation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: rendering, version, adapting, alteration.
- Useful contrasts: geometric rotation, ancient greek text, flip.
- Usage evidence: Compare your translation with the one on the blackboard.
How to use "translation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "translation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "translation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "translation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "translation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "translation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "rendering" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "translation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conversion of text from one language to another. countable, uncountable
"This old text needs translation into modern English before it is published."
- 2 the act of uniform movement wordnet
- 3 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The discipline or study of translating written language (as opposed to interpretation, which concerns itself with spoken language). countable, uncountable
- 4 the act of changing in form or shape or appearance wordnet
- 5 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conversion of something from one form or medium to another. countable, uncountable
Show 15 more definitions
- 6 rewording something in less technical terminology wordnet
- 7 The act of translating, in its various senses:; A motion or compulsion to motion in a straight line without rotation or other deformation. countable, uncountable
- 8 a written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language wordnet
- 9 The act of translating, in its various senses:; A relation between two mathematical figures such as a straight line where the coordinates of each point in one figure is a constant added to the coordinates of a corresponding point in the other figure. countable, uncountable
- 10 a uniform movement without rotation wordnet
- 11 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The process whereby a strand of mRNA directs assembly of amino acids into proteins within a ribosome. countable, uncountable
- 12 (genetics) the process whereby genetic information coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the cytoplasm wordnet
- 13 The act of translating, in its various senses:; A transfer of motion occurring within a gearbox. countable, uncountable
- 14 (mathematics) a transformation in which the origin of the coordinate system is moved to another position but the direction of each axis remains the same wordnet
- 15 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The automatic retransmission of a telegraph message. countable, uncountable
- 16 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conveyance of something from one place to another, especially:; An ascension to Heaven without death. countable, uncountable
- 17 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conveyance of something from one place to another, especially:; A transfer of a bishop from one diocese to another. countable, uncountable
- 18 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conveyance of something from one place to another, especially:; A transfer of a holy relic from one shrine to another. countable, uncountable
- 19 The act of translating, in its various senses:; The conveyance of something from one place to another, especially:; A transfer of a disease from one body part to another. countable, uncountable
- 20 The product or end result of an act of translating, in its various senses. countable
Antonyms
Example
"Compare your translation with the one on the blackboard."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "translation"?
Common synonyms include: rendering, version, adapting, alteration, amplification, anabolism.
How do you use "translation" in a sentence?
Compare your translation with the one on the blackboard.
How do you pronounce "translation"?
Pronounced /tɹænzˈleɪʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English translacioun (“transfer, translation”), from Anglo-Norman translacioun, from Latin trānslātiō, from trānslāt-, the supine stem of trānsferō (“to transfer, transport, transform, translate”). Equivalent to translate + -ion. Displaced native Old English wending.