Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

decode

 verb
     
NEW! See related topics: LINGUISTICSCOMPUTERS
de‧code [transitive]
1 to discover the meaning of a message written in a code (=a set of secret signs or letters) [= decipher]
2TD if a computer decodes data, it receives it and changes it into a form that can be used by the computer or understood by a person [≠ encode]:
The software decodes the information embedded in the satellite broadcasts.
3 to receive electronic or digital signals and change them into a picture and sound for a television or radio [≠ encode]:
decoding boxes for your TV set
4SL technical to understand the meaning of a word rather than use a word to express meaning [≠ encode]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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