interpret
/ɪnˈtɜːrprɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
interpretari — to explain, translate, or act as an agent
Overview
Meaning Now
- To explain the meaning of information, words, or actions.
- To perform an oral translation between two languages in real time.
- To conceive the significance of a work of art, a performance, or a situation in a particular way.
Literal older meaning
to serve as a go-between or broker
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
interpreten
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The root 'interpres' in Latin originally carried a strong connotation of commercial brokerage, where one acted as an intermediary to settle the price of goods between two parties who did not speak the same language. This naturally expanded into the concept of linguistic translation and, later, the intellectual process of clarifying meaning.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
interpres
“a broker, negotiator, or explainer”
Possibly derived from *inter* 'between' and a lost root related to price or trade.
- Late Latin
interpretari
“to interpret or explain”
- Old French
interpreter
“to explain or translate”
- Middle English
interpreten
“to explain or expound”
- Modern English
interpret
“to understand or explain the significance of something”
Connections
Word parts
inter-
prefix
between
pret
root
related to price or trading (disputed)
Related across languages
French
interpréter
to interpret
Spanish
interpretar
to interpret
Explore next
Related to interpret
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.