Word
decode
Phoneticsde·code, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈkoʊd/
UK/dɪkˈəʊd/
Definitions
01to turn code into plain language
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to translate a secret message or difficult code into plain language you can understand. You can also use it when you finally understand a complicated idea.
v. to convert a coded or encoded message back into its original, intelligible form. Often describes the process of interpreting complex signals or extracting meaning from a specific symbolic system.
“The computer needs a password to decode the hidden files.”
“While the software can quickly decode the encrypted data, the human analyst must still interpret the underlying intent of the communication.”
02an AI model writing its answer
B2 · Upper Intermediate Computing Technical
v. to write an answer one token at a time, with each new token depending on the ones before it. This is the step of AI inference that comes after the prompt is read.
v. In LLM inference, to generate output tokens one per step, each conditioned on the prompt and the tokens already produced. This phase is limited by memory speed rather than arithmetic, so it is sensitive to latency.
“The model will decode one token at a time until the answer is complete.”
“After the prompt has been read, the model must decode each new token in sequence, which is why long answers take longer to appear than short ones.”
Synonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as a message, signal, or text.
Real-World Examples
“Neagley, once she has decoded a clue left for her in Tommy’s last letter to his mother, thinks so too.” Etymology
From de- + code.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/decode