source code

American  

[sawrs kohd] / ˈsɔrs ˌkoʊd /

noun

Computers.

1. program instructions written in a programming language that is readable by humans and that must be converted to machine language before being executed.

---

source code British  

noun

1. computing the original form of a computer program before it is converted into a machine-readable code

---

source code Scientific  

/ sôrs /

1. Code written by a programmer in a high-level language and readable by people but not computers. Source code must be converted to object code or machine language by a compiler before a computer can read or execute the program.

2. Compare object code

---

Compare meaning

How does source-code compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• source code vs. object code

Example Sentences

An earlier version of the source code had also been leaked in February 2025.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Programmers combing through the source code so far have marveled on social media at some of Anthropic’s tricks for getting its Claude AI models to operate as Claude Code.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Anthropic leaked 500,000 lines of its own source code.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Stolen files included portions of the source code for BIG-IP and information about undisclosed vulnerabilities in the product.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

And he would also have had access to the planet’s source code, if he’d wanted to hide something here.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline