translation
- 01 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.
Simple“The translation of the novel into English took almost two years to complete.”
In context“The committee debated whether the translation should prioritize literal accuracy or the preservation of the author's unique poetic rhythm.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'into' to indicate the target language.
Teacher's tipDistinguish between 'translation' (written) and 'interpretation' (spoken) in professional contexts, though learners often use 'translation' for both.
PitfallI 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.
Synonyms - 02 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.
Simple“I have two different translations of the Bible on my bookshelf.”
In context“Scholars compared several nineteenth-century translations of the manuscript to identify where the original meaning might have been obscured.”
UsageCountable when referring to a specific version of a text.
- 03 C1 Advanced
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.
Simple“A translation moves every point of a shape the same distance in the same direction.”
In context“The software calculates the precise translation required to align the two three-dimensional models without any rotational adjustment.”
UsageUsed as a countable noun in geometry to describe a specific movement.
Teacher's tipThis is a specialized sense; in everyday English, 'move' or 'shift' is much more common.
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
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.
Simple“Translation is a key step in how our bodies use genetic information to grow.”
In context“During translation, the ribosome moves along the mRNA strand, facilitating the assembly of a polypeptide chain based on the genetic code.”
UsageUncountable in its biological sense.
Teacher's tipOften taught alongside 'transcription' in biology; learners frequently confuse the two terms.
Antonyms
Usage direct translation · translation direct
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.