What does "translator" mean?
A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A person or thing that translates various forms of text.
Translator
/ˈtɹænzleɪtɚ/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A person or thing that translates various forms of text.
- Grammar: translator is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: interpreter, allegorist, annotator, assembler.
- Useful contrasts: human translator, nontranslator.
- Usage evidence: Because I want to be a translator.
How to use "translator"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "translator" 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 "translator" 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 "translator" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- 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 "translator" is acting as noun, slang 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 "interpreter" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "translator", 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 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A person or thing that translates various forms of text.
- 2 a program that translates one programming language into another wordnet
- 3 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; Synonym of interpreter, a person or thing that immediately interprets direct speech. proscribed, sometimes
""You don't believe the Soviet Union is going to reduce its defense budget, do you?" Boggs asked. Premier Chou didn't wait for the translator to finish. "Never, never, never," he replied in perfect English."
- 4 someone who mediates between speakers of different languages wordnet
- 5 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A person or thing that expresses an idea or style in a new form or medium. figuratively
"Mr. C. Blair Leighton... lithographer... was one of the earliest translators of water and oil pictures by the chromatic process."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 a person who translates written messages from one language to another wordnet
- 7 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A machine that converts inputs into a pattern of holes on a punch card. historical
- 8 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A relay station that retransmits incoming television signals after automatically adjusting their frequency to avoid interference. US
- 9 A person or thing that translates meaning from one language into another, particularly; A program that converts commands from one computer language into another.
- 10 Synonym of carrier, a person who transports something, now particularly (Roman Catholicism, rare) holy relics. obsolete
"... the translator of the life and miracles of the saints, like the translator of the relics, need not have been "literate"; nor did he have to be a clerk."
- 11 Synonym of repairer, particularly of leather or cloth goods. historical
"Boots and Shoes are not to be had, I am told, in sufficient quantity for the demand from the slop-shops, the "translators," and the second-hand dealers. Great quantities of second-hand boots and shoes are sent to Ireland to be "translated" there."
- 12 A used and repaired shoe, boot, or other item of clothing. historical, slang
- 13 Synonym of repeater, a thing that automatically retransmits an incoming message along a telegraph line. obsolete
- 14 A thing that converts energy from one form to another. obsolete
- 15 The retinaculum of asclepiads.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
human translatornontranslator
Example
"Because I want to be a translator."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "translator"?
Common synonyms include: interpreter, allegorist, annotator, assembler, assemblers, automatic translator.
How do you use "translator" in a sentence?
Because I want to be a translator.
How do you pronounce "translator"?
Pronounced /ˈtɹænzleɪtɚ/.
Etymology
Directly from Latin trānslātor and French translator, and also from Middle English translatour, from Old French translatour, translateur, etc., from Latin trānslātor, from trānslātus (“carried across”) + -or (“-er: forming agent nouns”), from trānsferō (“carry across”), from trans (“across”) + ferō (“bear, carry”), q.v. Equivalent to translate + -or.