Decode
/diːˈkoʊd/noun
To convert a coded message into plain language or intelligible form.
Did you know?The word **code** itself comes from Latin *codex*, originally meaning a tree trunk or wooden block, because early writing was tied to carved surfaces and bound books.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
codex
“A tree trunk, block of wood, or bound book made from wooden tablets”
Late Latin
Late Latin
codicem
“A book, especially a manuscript volume”
Middle French
French
code
“A system of laws or rules; a cipher or secret system”
18th Century
English
decode
“To translate from a code into ordinary language”
Modern English
English
decode
“To convert coded information into readable or understandable form”