code
noun
\ ˈkōd
\
\
plural codes
Definition of code
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a systematic statement of a body of law
especially
: one given statutory force
2
: a system of principles or rules
moral code
3a
: a system of signals or symbols for communication
b
: a system of symbols (such as letters or numbers) used to represent assigned and often secret meanings
c
: coded language : a word or phrase chosen in place of another word or phrase in order to communicate an attitude or meaning without stating it explicitly
The strategy also appealed to blue-collar workers in the Northeast and Northwest who were opposed to "forced bussing." This was expressed in code as favoring "law and order" and opposing "crime in the streets."— Elizabeth Drew
—usually used with for I hear the word "development" a lot in public speech; politicians and activists use it as code for a lot of things—jobs, health care, a change in leadership.— Sallie TisdaleThis quarter-century of Republican momentum was reversed finally by Bill Clinton, who called himself a "New Democrat," code for "not a liberal."— Joshua Muravchik
4
: genetic code
5
: instructions for a computer (as within a piece of software)
writing code for a new app
code
verb
coded;
coding
Definition of code (Entry 2 of 2)
: to put in or into the form or symbols of a code
1
: to specify the genetic code
a gene that codes for a protein
2
: to create or edit computer code
She got a job coding for Google.
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Other Words from code
Noun
codeless
\ ˈkōd-ləs
\
adjective
\
adjective
Verb
codable
\ ˈkō-də-bəl
\
adjective
\
adjective
coder
noun
Examples of code in a Sentence
Noun
Everyone in the organization has to follow its code of ethics. The army has a strict code of conduct. The enemy was unable to break the army's secret code. The message was sent in code. Every item in the store has a product code. Enter your security code to access the computer. Each employee is given a code number. He was hired to write programming code.Verb
The general sent a coded message. Each product has been coded.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
As noted earlier, attackers who manage to obtain network credentials can still exploit the vulnerabilities to execute code of their choice. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "Four wormable bugs in newer versions of Windows need your attention now," 13 Aug. 2019 Starbucks used to require a promo code at the register, but that changed when the chain updated its reward program in April. — Doreen Christensen, sun-sentinel.com, "BOGO cold drinks at Starbucks Thursday," 8 Aug. 2019 The Apple Watch doesn’t currently include any form of biometric security, and relies on a PIN code. — Jon Porter, The Verge, "Apple’s iPhone will have an in-display fingerprint sensor in 2021, analyst claims," 5 Aug. 2019 He was suspended for the final two regular-season games of that season for violating the student-athlete code of conduct and was suspended indefinitely in 2015 for a second violation before withdrawing from the university. — Barry Wilner, baltimoresun.com, "Late acrobatic TD catch gives Broncos 14-10 victory over Falcons in Hall of Fame Game," 2 Aug. 2019 To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, the 1949 German Constitution—as well as the penal and criminal codes of the country—outlaw the use of symbols that incite hatred against any segment of its population. — Bernd Reiter, Quartz, "What US slavery reparations and post-Holocaust Germany have in common," 2 Aug. 2019 OneRoom’s livestreams and recordings are private; those invited to view the service have to enter a code to access the stream. — Paris Martineau, WIRED, "Now Even Funerals Are Livestreamed—and Families Are Grateful," 30 July 2019 Students would log in online and enter a code displayed at the front of the classroom. — Brittany Meiling, San Diego Union-Tribune, "24-year-old SDSU grad raises $5 million for college startup CourseKey," 30 July 2019 The student was not arrested but will face a student code of conduct sanction, Metzger said. — Roger Simmons, orlandosentinel.com, "UCF police find student with BB gun in Tower 1 dorm; apologize for vague alerts that caused ‘panic and stress’," 27 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The state code enshrining Forrest Day says the governor must also proclaim Robert E. Lee Day on Jan. 19 and Confederate Decoration Day on June 3, among other dates. — Hannah Knowles, Washington Post, "Ted Cruz criticizes Tenn. governor for day honoring Confederate general and KKK leader," 13 July 2019 African American songs from this time period were often written in what amounted to code so as not to alarm whites, Meacham writes. — Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, "Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw: How American music became both a reflection and an instrument of social change," 11 July 2019 African American songs from this time period were often written in what amounted to code so as not to alarm whites, Meacham writes. — Allison Stewart, Washington Post, "How American music became both a reflection and an instrument of social change," 10 July 2019 The organization, which was founded in 2012, will have trained 185,000 girls to code by the end of this year. — Sara Castellanos, WSJ, "P&G CIO Says He Wants to Hire More Women Coders," 10 July 2019 The women code switch as needed, until a smart young woman of color named Nikita (Duncan) arrives to freshen up before her job interview. — Christine Dolen, sun-sentinel.com, "Review: ‘She Shorts’ puts women in the spotlight," 15 July 2019 The place now runs on sun and wood and is to code and properly permitted. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "How To Live Off the Grid," 10 June 2019 Planners also see the market as a community space with activities for neighborhood kids. Job site superintendent Paul Dimock said the brick warehouse was built in the 1920s and is not up to code with today’s standards. — Slade Rand, courant.com, "Hartford’s Parkville Market is still coming, but construction challenges have delayed the opening for at least another six months," 14 June 2019 In these cases, the same genetic sequence might code for both an ingredient and an instruction for what to do with it. — Quanta Magazine, "Machine Intelligence Cracks Genetic Controls," 18 Dec. 2014These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'code.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for code
code
noun
English Language Learners Definition of code
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a set of laws or regulations
: a set of ideas or rules about how to behave
: a set of letters, numbers, symbols, etc., that is used to secretly send messages to someone
code