code

[kohd] /koʊd/
noun
1.
a system for communication by telegraph, heliograph, etc., in which long and short sounds, light flashes, etc., are used to symbolize the content of a message:
Morse code.
2.
a system used for brevity or secrecy of communication, in which arbitrarily chosen words, letters, or symbols are assigned definite meanings.
3.
any set of standards set forth and enforced by a local government agency for the protection of public safety, health, etc., as in the structural safety of buildings (building code) health requirements for plumbing, ventilation, etc. (sanitary or health code) and the specifications for fire escapes or exits (fire code)
4.
a systematically arranged collection or compendium of laws, rules, or regulations.
5.
any authoritative, general, systematic, and written statement of the legal rules and principles applicable in a given legal order to one or more broad areas of life.
6.
a word, letter, number, or other symbol used in a code system to mark, represent, or identify something:
The code on the label shows the date of manufacture.
7.
Computers. the symbolic arrangement of statements or instructions in a computer program in which letters, digits, etc. are represented as binary numbers; the set of instructions in such a program:
That program took 3000 lines of code.
Compare ASCII, object code, source code.
8.
any system or collection of rules and regulations:
a gentleman's code of behavior.
9.
Medicine/Medical. a directive or alert to a hospital team assigned to emergency resuscitation of patients.
10.
Genetics. genetic code.
11.
Linguistics.
  1. the system of rules shared by the participants in an act of communication, making possible the transmission and interpretation of messages.
  2. (in sociolinguistic theory) one of two distinct styles of language use that differ in degree of explicitness and are sometimes thought to be correlated with differences in social class.
    Compare elaborated code, restricted code.
verb (used with object), coded, coding.
12.
to translate (a message) into a code; encode.
13.
to arrange or enter (laws or statutes) in a code.
14.
Computers. to translate (a program) into language that can be communicated to the computer.
verb (used without object), coded, coding.
15.
Genetics. to specify the amino acid sequence of a protein by the sequence of nucleotides comprising the gene for that protein:
a gene that codes for the production of insulin.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin cōdex codex
Related forms
coder, noun
codeless, adjective
precode, verb (used with object), precoded, precoding.
recode, verb (used with object), recoded, recoding.
subcode, noun
Examples from the web for code
  • Welcome back, code breakers and language translators.
  • Obviously, it would be tough to code a system that noone can possibly understand.
  • If the code is simple, as it is for the drum language with its two tones, a given amount of information requires a longer message.
  • Scientists have deciphered a second genetic code that has eluded molecular biologists for two decades.
  • The consumer then scans the bar code on a product with the camera in their smartphone.
  • It is exactly what he wanted---it is warm, meets dress code at school and is an attractive jackets as well.
  • Search by zip code for incentives and rebates in your area.
  • Alien-seeking researchers have designed a new, simple code for sending messages into space.
  • Instead, the code and the model are two ways of looking at the same thing.
  • Enter your zip code to begin calculating your energy use.
British Dictionary definitions for code

code

/kəʊd/
noun
1.
a system of letters or symbols, and rules for their association by means of which information can be represented or communicated for reasons of secrecy, brevity, etc: binary code, Morse code See also genetic code
2.
a message in code
3.
a symbol used in a code
4.
a conventionalized set of principles, rules, or expectations: a code of behaviour
5.
a system of letters or digits used for identification or selection purposes
verb (transitive)
6.
to translate, transmit, or arrange into a code
Word Origin
C14: from French, from Latin cōdex book, codex
Word Origin and History for code
n.

c.1300, "systematic compilation of laws," from Old French code "system of laws, law-book" (13c.), from Latin codex, earlier caudex "book, book of laws," literally "tree trunk," hence, book made up of wooden tablets covered with wax for writing. Meaning "cipher" (the sense in secret code) is from 1808.

v.

1815, from code (n.). Specifically in the computer sense from 1947. Related: Coded; coding.

code in Science
code
  (kōd)   

  1. A system of signals used to represent letters or numbers in transmitting messages.

  2. The instructions in a computer program. Instructions written by a programmer in a programming language are often called source code. Instructions that have been converted into machine language that the computer understands are called machine code or executable code. See also programming language.


code in Culture

code definition


A series of instructions designed to be fed into a computer.

code in Technology


1. Instructions for a computer in some programming language, often machine language (machine code).
The word "code" is often used to distinguish instructions from data (e.g. "The code is marked 'read-only'") whereas the word "software" is used in contrast with "hardware" and may consist of more than just code.
(2000-04-08)
2. Some method of encryption or the resulting encrypted message.
(2006-11-10)

Related Abbreviations for code

CoDE

coherent digital exciter

CODE

Confederation of Dental Employers