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translation

n.
US //tɹænˈsɫeɪʃən// UK //tɹænslˈeɪʃən// trans·la·tion
  1. 1 changing languages (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the act of changing words from one language into another language.

    the process of rendering text or speech from a source language into a target language while maintaining the original meaning.

    Example

    The translation of the novel into English took almost two years to complete.

    Example

    The committee debated whether the translation should prioritize literal accuracy or the preservation of the author's unique poetic rhythm.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'into' to indicate the target language.

    Teacher's tip

    Distinguish between 'translation' (written) and 'interpretation' (spoken) in professional contexts, though learners often use 'translation' for both.
    Pitfall
    I need a translation for this book to Spanish.
    I need a translation of this book into Spanish.

    Use 'of' for the source material and 'into' for the target language.

  2. 2 a translated text (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a book, document, or piece of text that has been changed into a different language.

    the specific product or text resulting from the act of translating.

    Example

    I have two different translations of the Bible on my bookshelf.

    Example

    Scholars compared several nineteenth-century translations of the manuscript to identify where the original meaning might have been obscured.

    Usage

    Countable when referring to a specific version of a text.
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  1. 3 moving something (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    moving something from one place to another without changing its shape or turning it.

    the act of moving something from one location to another; in geometry, a transformation that slides a figure in a specific direction.

    Example

    A translation moves every point of a shape the same distance in the same direction.

    Example

    The software calculates the precise translation required to align the two three-dimensional models without any rotational adjustment.

    Usage

    Used as a countable noun in geometry to describe a specific movement.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a specialized sense; in everyday English, 'move' or 'shift' is much more common.
  2. 4 making proteins (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the process in a cell where a message is used to build a protein.

    the process by which a sequence of nucleotide triplets in a messenger RNA molecule gives rise to a specific sequence of amino acids during protein synthesis.

    Example

    Translation is a key step in how our bodies use genetic information to grow.

    Example

    During translation, the ribosome moves along the mRNA strand, facilitating the assembly of a polypeptide chain based on the genetic code.

    Usage

    Uncountable in its biological sense.

    Teacher's tip

    Often taught alongside 'transcription' in biology; learners frequently confuse the two terms.
Origin

From Middle English translacioun (“transfer, translation”), from Anglo-Norman translacioun, from Latin trānslātiō, from trānslāt-, the supine stem of trānsferō (“to transfer, transport, transform, translate”). Equivalent to translate + -ion. Displaced native Old English wending.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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