target language

noun

The language a learner is attempting to acquire.

Similar
object language
Opposite
source language
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Meanings

nountarget language (plural target languages)

plural target languages

  1. applied linguisticsThe language a learner is attempting to acquire.
  2. human sciencesThe language into which a translation is done.
  3. computingThe machine language into which source code is to be compiled.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
source language

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

Similar
object language
Broader
languagelinguistic communication

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

Similar
object language
Broader
programming languageprograming language
Also see
object languagetarget

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic لُغَة هَدَف
  • لُغَة هَدَفlanguage into which a translation is done
Catalan llengua meta, llengua de destinació
  • llengua metalanguage into which a translation is done
  • llengua de destinaciólanguage into which a translation is done
Chinese Mandarin 目的語 /目的语, 譯入語 /译入语
  • 目的語 /目的语 (mùdìyǔ)language into which a translation is done
  • 譯入語 /译入语 (yìrùyǔ)language into which a translation is done
Danish målsprog
  • målsproglanguage into which a translation is done
Dutch doeltaal
  • doeltaallanguage into which a translation is done
Estonian sihtkeel
  • sihtkeellanguage into which a translation is done
Finnish kohdekieli
  • kohdekielilanguage into which a translation is done
French langue d'arrivée, langue cible
  • langue d'arrivéelanguage into which a translation is done
  • langue ciblelanguage into which a translation is done
German Zielsprache
  • Zielsprachelanguage into which a translation is done
Greek γλώσσα μεταφοράς, γλώσσα-στόχος
  • γλώσσα μεταφοράς (glóssa metaforás)language into which a translation is done
  • γλώσσα-στόχος (glóssa-stóchos)language into which a translation is done
Hungarian célnyelv
  • célnyelvlanguage into which a translation is done
Irish sprioctheanga
  • sprioctheangalanguage into which a translation is done
Italian lingua di arrivo
  • lingua di arrivolanguage into which a translation is done
Japanese 目標言語, 目的言語
  • 目標言語 (mokuhyō gengo)language into which a translation is done
  • 目的言語 (mokuteki gengo)language into which a translation is done
Korean 목표어
  • 목표어 (mokpyoeo)language into which a translation is done
Malay bahasa sasaran
  • bahasa sasaranlanguage into which a translation is done
Polish język docelowy
  • język docelowylanguage into which a translation is done
Romanian limbă țintă
  • limbă țintălanguage into which a translation is done
Russian язы́к перево́да
  • язы́к перево́да (jazýk perevóda)language into which a translation is done
Spanish idioma objetivo/destinatario/meta/deseado/estudiado, lengua objetivo/destinataria/meta/deseada/estudiada
  • idioma objetivo/destinatario/meta/deseado/estudiadolanguage into which a translation is done
  • lengua objetivo/destinataria/meta/deseada/estudiadalanguage into which a translation is done
Swedish målspråk
  • målspråklanguage into which a translation is done
Ukrainian мо́ва пере́кладу
  • мо́ва пере́кладу (móva perékladu)language into which a translation is done
Cite this entry
APA

target language. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/target%20language

MLA

“target language.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/target%20language. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “target language,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/target%20language.

Source: target language on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.