Phrase guide

target language

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The language a learner is attempting to acquire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: applied linguistics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The language into which a translation is done.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences, translation-studies

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The machine language into which source code is to be compiled.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the language into which a text written in another language is to be translated

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: object language

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: language, linguistic communication

5

noun

Meaning 5

a computer language into which something written in another computer language is to be translated

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: object language

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: programming language, programing language

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: llengua meta — language into which a translation is done
  • Catalan: llengua de destinació — language into which a translation is done
  • Chinese Mandarin: 目的語 /目的语 (mùdìyǔ) — language into which a translation is done
  • Chinese Mandarin: 譯入語 /译入语 (yìrùyǔ) — language into which a translation is done
  • Danish: målsprog — language into which a translation is done
  • Dutch: doeltaal — language into which a translation is done
  • Estonian: sihtkeel — language into which a translation is done
  • Finnish: kohdekieli — language into which a translation is done
  • French: langue d'arrivée — language into which a translation is done
  • French: langue cible — language into which a translation is done
  • Georgian: სამიზნე ენა (samizne ena) — language into which a translation is done
  • German: Zielsprache — language into which a translation is done
  • Greek: γλώσσα μεταφοράς (glóssa metaforás) — language into which a translation is done
  • Greek: γλώσσα-στόχος (glóssa-stóchos) — language into which a translation is done
  • Hungarian: célnyelv — language into which a translation is done
  • Irish: sprioctheanga — language into which a translation is done
  • Italian: lingua di arrivo — language into which a translation is done
  • Japanese: 目標言語 (mokuhyō gengo) — language into which a translation is done
  • Japanese: 目的言語 (mokuteki gengo) — language into which a translation is done
  • Korean: 목표어 (mokpyoeo) — language into which a translation is done
  • Malay: bahasa sasaran — language into which a translation is done
  • Polish: język docelowy — language into which a translation is done
  • Romanian: limbă țintă — language into which a translation is done
  • Russian: язы́к перево́да (jazýk perevóda) — language into which a translation is done
  • Spanish: idioma objetivo / destinatario / meta — language into which a translation is done
  • Spanish: lengua deseada — language into which a translation is done
  • Swedish: målspråk — language into which a translation is done
  • Ukrainian: мо́ва пере́кладу (móva perékladu) — language into which a translation is done