verb
decode
dih-KOHD
verb
1
To convert something coded or encrypted back into ordinary, understandable form.
"The software decodes the audio file for playback."
"Analysts worked to decode the enemy's radio transmissions."
2
To work out the meaning of something confusing or unclear.
"It took a while to decode what the professor was really asking for."
How to Use Decode
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo turn coded information back into plain, readable form, or to figure out a hidden meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
decode a message
decode a signal
Word Forms
decoded past tense, decodes plural, decodes singular
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Etymology
From "de-" + "code," meaning "to undo a code."