interpret

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to decide what something means; to understand it in a particular way.

   It is hard to interpret what she really meant by that comment.

2. 2
   verb

   to translate spoken words from one language into another as someone speaks.

   She interpreted at the meeting between the Chinese and French managers.

3. 3
   verb

   to perform a piece of art, music, or a role in your own way.

   The actor interpreted the character of Hamlet with great skill.

From Middle English interpreten, from Old French enterpreter, (French interpréter), from Latin interpretor (“to explain, expound, interpret”), past participle interpretatus, from interpres (“an agent, broker, explainer, interpreter, negotiator”), from inter (“between”) + -pres, probably the root of pretium (“price”); -pres is probably connected with Ancient Greek φράζειν (phrázein, “to point out, show, explain, declare, speak”), from which φραδή (phradḗ, “understanding”), φράσις (phrásis, “speech”); see phrase.

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