Interpret

How to spell interpret

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce interpret

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does interpret mean?

1. verbTo explain or work out the meaning of something, or to translate spoken words from one language to another.

Interpret in a sentence

• The analyst was asked to interpret the latest sales figures for the board.

• A lawyer must carefully interpret the exact wording of the contract.

Where does interpret come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes from the Latin verb interpretari, meaning 'to explain, expound, or translate'. It was built on the noun interpres, which described a go-between, an agent, or a negotiator who stood between two parties, and the second part is thought to be linked to a root meaning 'price' or 'value', as in someone who sets the terms of a deal. English took the word in during the late 1300s through Old French interpreter, originally with the sense of translating one language into another. Over time the meaning broadened from simple translation to explaining the meaning of anything, whether a dream, a law, a piece of music, or a set of data. The spelling keeps the single 't' of the Latin stem, which is the small trap, since many writers expect a doubled letter before the ending.

How the word is built

• inter- (between)
• pret (from Latin pretari, related to 'price' or 'value', hence to explain or negotiate)