translation

[ trans-ley-shuhn, tranz- ]

noun

1. the rendering of something into another language or into one's own from another language.
2. a version of such a rendering:

   a new translation of Plato.

3. change or conversion to another form, appearance, etc.; transformation:

   a swift translation of thought into action.

4. the act or process of translating.
5. the state of being translated.
6. Mechanics. motion in which all particles of a body move with the same velocity along parallel paths.
7. Telegraphy. the retransmitting or forwarding of a message, as by relay.
8. Mathematics.
   1. a function obtained from a given function by adding the same constant to each value of the variable of the given function and moving the graph of the function a constant distance to the right or left.
   2. a transformation in which every point of a geometric figure is moved the same distance in the same direction.
9. Genetics. the process by which a messenger RNA molecule specifies the linear sequence of amino acids on a ribosome for protein synthesis. Compare genetic code ( def ).

translation

/ trænz-; trænsˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. something that is or has been translated, esp a written text
2. the act of translating or the state of being translated
3. maths a transformation in which the origin of a coordinate system is moved to another position so that each axis retains the same direction or, equivalently, a figure or curve is moved so that it retains the same orientation to the axes

translation

/ trăns-lā′shən /

1. Biochemistry.
   The process in the ribosomes of a cell by which a strand of messenger RNA directs the assembly of a sequence of amino acids to make a protein.
2. Biochemistry.
   Compare transcription
3. Physics.
   Motion of a body in which every point of the body moves parallel to and the same distance as every other point of the body.
4. Mathematics.
   The changing of the coordinates of points to coordinates that are referred to new axes that are parallel to the old axes.

Derived Forms

• transˈlational, adjective

Other Words From

• trans·la·tion·al adjective
• trans·la·tion·al·ly adverb
• pre·trans·la·tion noun
• re·trans·la·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of translation¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin trānslātiōn- (stem of trānslātiō ) “a transferring,” equivalent to trānslāt(us) ( translate ) + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English translacioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lose something in translation. lose in translation.

Synonym Study

Translation , paraphrase , version refer to a rewording of something. A translation is a rendering of the same ideas in a different language from the original: a translation from Greek into English. A paraphrase is a free rendering of the sense of a passage in other words, usually in the same language: a paraphrase of a poem. A version is a translation, especially of the Bible, or else an account of something illustrating a particular point of view: the Douay Version.

Example Sentences

He published an English translation of “The Camp of the Saints,” a French novel written by Jean Raspail.

From Salon

Students could be exempt from the phone policy for a number of reasons, including needing their phones for health reasons, individualized education programs, accommodations due to a disability, and language translation.

From Los Angeles Times

The department has a call center, where staff who speak these languages can assist people in their preferred language or help with translation.

From Los Angeles Times

Pink cocaine originated in Colombia and is also known by the street name “tusi,” a phonetic translation of “2C-B,” a quasi psychedelic that was first synthesized by the drug pioneer Alexander Shulgin in the 1970s, the New York Times reported.

From Los Angeles Times

She has been using the translation device regularly.

From BBC

Related Words

• adaptation
• explanation
• reading
• rendering
• rendition
• transcription
• version