TOP

Definition of code noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

code

noun
 
/kəʊd/
 
/kəʊd/
jump to other results
  1. [countable, uncountable] (often in compounds) a system of words, letters, numbers or symbols that represent a message or record information secretly or in a shorter form
    • to break/crack a code (= to understand and read the message)
    • in code It's written in code.
    • In the event of the machine not operating correctly, an error code will appear.
    • Tap your code number into the machine.
    • The code was difficult to crack.
    see also area code, barcode, colour code, genetic code, Morse code, postcode, sort code, QR code™, zip code
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • area
    • dialling
    • post
    verb + code
    • generate
    code + noun
    • number
    • generator
    See full entry
  2. [countable]
    (also dialling code)
    (British English) the numbers that are used for a particular town, area or country, in front of an individual phone number
    • There are three codes for London.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • area
    • dialling
    • post
    verb + code
    • generate
    code + noun
    • number
    • generator
    See full entry
  3. [uncountable] (computing) a system of computer programming instructions
    • Bill wrote the computer code for the project.
    • malicious code that will infect your computer
    • You only need to add a few lines of code.
    see also machine code, object code, source codeTopics Computersb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • binary
    • executable
    • HTML
    verb + code
    • execute
    • write
    • modify
    See full entry
  4. [countable] a set of moral principles or rules of behaviour that are generally accepted by society or a social group
    • The school enforces a strict code of conduct.
    • a code of ethics
    • She lives by her own moral code.
    see also honour code
    Extra Examples
    • Knights in the Middle Ages had a strong code of honour.
    • There was a rigid code of honour associated with the cult.
    • There should be a clear ethical code for researchers working with human subjects.
    • A long-standing, unwritten code of behaviour governs relations between ministers and civil servants.
    • There is an unwritten code that says ‘Do not date your best friend's ex.’
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • strict
    • unwritten
    • ethical
    verb + code
    • have
    • adopt
    • draw up
    phrases
    • a code of behaviour/​behavior
    • a code of conduct
    • a code of ethics
    See full entry
  5. [countable] a system of laws or written rules that state how people in an institution or a country should behave
    • The Supreme Council adopted a new criminal code.
    • (North American English) The theater did not comply with modern building codes and was not accessible to wheelchair users.
    see also dress code, Highway Code, penal code
    Extra Examples
    • The company has drawn up a new disciplinary code.
    • As a statutory code approved by Parliament, it is not mere guidance.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • strict
    • unwritten
    • ethical
    verb + code
    • have
    • adopt
    • draw up
    phrases
    • a code of behaviour/​behavior
    • a code of conduct
    • a code of ethics
    See full entry
  6. Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin codex, codic- literally ‘block of wood’, later denoting a block split into leaves or tablets for writing on, hence a book. The term originally denoted a systematic collection of statutes made by Justinian or another of the later Roman emperors; compare with sense (5) (mid 18th cent.), the earliest modern sense.
See code in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee code in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day