interpretation

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/ (UK); /ɪnˌtɝpɹəˈteɪʃən/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English interpretacioun, borrowed from Old French interpretacion (“explanation, translation”) and directly interpretātio (“explanation, exposition”),^[2][3][4] from interpretārī (“to explain, understand”) (see interpret), from interpres (“agent, translator”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A translated text: the mid-14th century in Etymonline, the late 13th century in Anglo-French;^[2] the action of explaining, 1382 in the OED.^[5]

Semantic evolution

An explanation given, or the construction put on someone's actions, is from the late 14th century (1387–90 in the OED).^[2][5] The rendering of a part in a play or of a piece of music is from 1880.^[2][5] Getting information from aerial photographs is from 1948.^[5]

Timeline

• mid-14th century – a translation.^[2]
• 1382 – explaining.^[5]
• 1387 – a construction put on actions.^[5]
• 1880 – a performance of a part or piece.^[2][5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The act of explaining the meaning of something.
2. A particular explanation or understanding of something.
3. A performer's way of presenting a role or piece of music.
4. Oral translation between speakers of different languages.

Word family

• interpretational
• interpretative
• interpretatively
• interpretive
• interpretively
• photointerpretation
• overinterpretation
• reinterpretation

Related words

• interpret
• interpreter
• misinterpretation
• price

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press