interpretation
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way that someone understands or explains something.
an explanation or conceptualisation of the meaning or significance of something.
Simple“The two lawyers had a different interpretation of the new law.”
In context“The historian offered a radical new interpretation of the treaty, suggesting that the economic motives were far more significant than previously believed.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
the particular way an artist performs a piece of music or a role in a play.
a performer's distinctive personal version or artistic rendering of a creative work.
Simple“The pianist gave a beautiful interpretation of the classic song.”
In context“Critics praised the actor's nuanced interpretation of Hamlet, noting how he balanced the character's indecision with sudden bursts of manic energy.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the act of changing spoken words from one language into another.
the process of facilitating communication between speakers of different languages through oral or signed translation.
Simple“The conference provided simultaneous interpretation in five different languages.”
In context“Professional interpretation requires not only linguistic fluency but also a deep understanding of the cultural nuances inherent in both the source and target languages.”
UsageOften uncountable when referring to the profession or field of study.
PitfallShe works in written interpretation. She works in written translation.In professional contexts, 'interpretation' refers to spoken or signed language, while 'translation' refers to written text.
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
the way values or meanings are given to symbols in a system.
an assignment of meaning or truth values to the symbols of a formal language or mathematical theory.
Simple“In this logic puzzle, each symbol needs a specific interpretation to be true.”
In context“The consistency of the formal system was demonstrated by providing a valid interpretation within the framework of Euclidean geometry.”
Synonyms
Usage affect interpretation · allow interpretation · alternative interpretation
“But the Ifab football laws board has since underlined that this is not the correct interpretation of the law change.”
“Hockney at his best was a narrative painter, and his pictures invite and are animated by such interpretations.”
From Middle English interpretacioun, from the Anglo-Norman form of Old French interpretacion, from Latin interpretātiō, noun of action from interpretor (“to explain, expound, interpret, understand, conclude, infer, comprehend”). Morphologically interpret + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.