Transliterate: meaning, definitions and examples

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transliterate

 

[ trænzˈlɪtəreɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

writing

To write or print (a letter or word) using the closest corresponding letters of a different alphabet or script.

Synonyms

convert, render, transcribe.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
transliterate

Use when you need to change letters from one writing system to another without changing their meaning.

  • The name 'Москва' is often transliterated as 'Moscow'.
  • When learning a new language, you might need to transliterate words to understand their pronunciation.
transcribe

Use when you need to write down or record spoken words or music into written form.

  • The secretary was hired to transcribe meeting notes.
  • Would you mind transcribing this interview so we can publish it?
render

Use when you want to describe the act of making something understandable or providing a specific interpretation.

  • The artist managed to render the sunset beautifully on canvas.
  • The translator did an excellent job rendering the text into English.
convert

Use when there is a need to change something into a different form, style, or function.

  • He had to convert the measurements from inches to centimeters.
  • I need to convert this video format from AVI to MP4.

Examples of usage

  • He transliterated his name from Cyrillic to Latin script.
  • Can you transliterate this word from Greek to English?

Translations

Translations of the word "transliterate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 transliterar

🇮🇳 लिप्यंतरित करना

🇩🇪 transliterieren

🇮🇩 mentransliterasikan

🇺🇦 транслітерувати

🇵🇱 transliterować

🇯🇵 翻字する (honji suru)

🇫🇷 translittérer

🇪🇸 transliterar

🇹🇷 transliterasyon yapmak

🇰🇷 음역하다 (eumyeokhada)

🇸🇦 نقل الحروف (naql alhuruf)

🇨🇿 transliterovat

🇸🇰 transliterovať

🇨🇳 音译 (yīnyì)

🇸🇮 transliterirati

🇮🇸 transliterera

🇰🇿 транслитерациялау (transliteratsiyalau)

🇬🇪 ტრანსლიტერაცია (transliteratsia)

🇦🇿 transliterasiya etmək

🇲🇽 transliterar (іспанська)

Etymology

The word 'transliterate' originated from the combination of 'trans-' meaning 'across' or 'beyond' and 'littera', the Latin word for 'letter'. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-19th century.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,121, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.