Academic / B2

in-TURPR-it/ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/

To interpret is to explain the meaning of something, or to understand it in a particular way: interpret a graph / a law, or interpret something as criticism. Translate is for languages in a narrower sense; an interpreter converts speech in real time. Interpretation is the noun (also a musical or legal reading), common in academic tasks such as interpret the data.

Meaning

To explain the meaning of something, or to understand it in a particular way.

Examples

• “How do you interpret this graph?”
• “Different critics interpret the ending in different ways.”
• “It is easy to interpret silence as agreement when it is not.”

Good to know

interpret as; interpret data / a text. Person who translates speech: interpreter.

Near in meaning

construe

Topics

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