Word
transcribe
Phoneticstran·scribe, stress on the second syllable
US/tɹænsˈkɹaɪb/
UK/tɹænskɹˈaɪb/
Definition
v. to write down or type out words that you hear, such as from a speech or a recording. You might also do this to change information from one form into another, like turning a song into written music.
v. to produce a written or typed version of spoken language or recorded audio. In technical contexts, it refers to representing speech sounds using phonetic symbols or converting data or musical notation into a different format.
Examples
“She had to transcribe the entire interview for her research project.”
“The court reporter worked quickly to transcribe every word spoken during the three-hour hearing.”
“Linguists often transcribe indigenous oral histories into a phonetic script to preserve the specific nuances of a dialect that lacks a traditional writing system.”
Examples
simple
“She had to transcribe the entire interview for her research project.”
contextual
“The court reporter worked quickly to transcribe every word spoken during the three-hour hearing.”
complex
“Linguists often transcribe indigenous oral histories into a phonetic script to preserve the specific nuances of a dialect that lacks a traditional writing system.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “transcribe” in context.
Verb
01. accurately transcribe
“The software is designed to accurately transcribe medical dictation.”
adv + verb
02. faithfully transcribe
“The clerk's job was to faithfully transcribe every word spoken during the trial.”
adv + verb
03. manually transcribe
“It took several hours to manually transcribe the recorded interview.”
adv + verb
Noun
04. transcribe interview
“Researchers had to transcribe interviews conducted with the survivors.”
verb + noun
05. transcribe manuscript
“Scholars are working to transcribe manuscripts found in the monastery.”
verb + noun
06. transcribe music
“He spent the afternoon trying to transcribe music from the old recording.”
verb + noun
07. transcribe speech
“The app can transcribe speech into text in real time.”
verb + noun
08. transcribe from shorthand
“The secretary had to transcribe the notes from shorthand into a formal report.”
09. transcribe into digital format
“The archives are being transcribed into digital format for easier access.”
10. transcribe word for word
“The court reporter must transcribe the testimony word for word.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, typically a recording, speech, or piece of music.
Real-World Examples
“Google has updated Gemini Audio with new transcription capabilities that automatically detect specialized jargon and more than 85 languages. Gemini 3.5 Transcribe is a new addition to the Gemini family that follows the launch of 3.5 Live Translate, and comes as we’re still waiting for Google to release the Gemini 3.5 Pro model that it promised to roll out in June.” “Google has released an experimental note-taking app that can transcribe meetings and audio files entirely offline, as reported earlier by TechCrunch.” “It could transcribe the audio from YouTube videos, yielding new conversational text that would make an A.I. system smarter.” “Since University College London began transcribing the papers of the Enlightenment philosopher Jeremy Bentham more than 50 years ago, it has published 27 volumes of his writings — less than half of the 70 or so ultimately expected.” Etymology
Transcribe entered the language as a learned borrowing from the Latin trānscrībere, a compound formed from the prefix trāns-, meaning across, and scrībere, to write. The term arrived in English during the mid-16th century to denote the act of writing a text again in another place or producing a copy. Unlike the casual scribbling of notes, the Latin root implies a deliberate movement of information from one surface to another.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domains
- 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/transcribe