transpose
/trænzˈpəʊz/ IELTSAcademic
verb
- 1.
To move something to another place or position, or to change the order of things. In maths or music, it has a more specific meaning.
- Please transpose the table to the next page.
- The musicians transposed the song into a higher key.
- 2.
In music, to write or play a piece in a different key. This helps match a singer's range or another instrument.
- We transposed the melody for the violin.
- She transposed the song to suit her voice.
- 3.
In maths, to swap the rows and columns of a matrix.
- Transpose the matrix before solving it.
- The teacher asked us to transpose the values.
Adinary Nuance
Transpose is more specific than move or change. It often means changing order, position, or key in a careful or technical way. In everyday speech, people usually say move, shift, or rearrange. In maths and music, transpose is the natural word.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chuyển vị
- Spanish
- transponer
- Chinese
- 转置
- Japanese
- 移調する
- Korean
- 전치하다
Etymology
Transpose comes from Latin transponere, meaning 'to place across'. It entered English through French in the late Middle English period.
Common phrases
transpose a matrixtranspose a songtranspose into a different key
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is transpose the same as move?
- Not exactly. Move is general, while transpose often means changing order, position, or key in a precise way.
- Is transpose common in daily English?
- It is more common in academic, music, and maths contexts than in everyday talk.
- What is the difference between transpose and rearrange?
- Rearrange is more general. Transpose sounds more technical and is used more in music and maths.
- How do I use transpose in a sentence?
- You can say, 'Please transpose the song to a lower key.'