convert
Other forms: converted; converts; converting
Think of the word convert as meaning "change," whether it is a person who adopts a new belief, or a changing action, such as when you convert dollars into euros.
Many times we can catch a word's meaning by looking at its origins. In this case, the Latin con means "around," while vertere means "turn." So we can figure that convert means to "turn around," an object or one's thoughts on an idea. For example, you might convert a meat eater into a vegetarian or an empty-nester might convert the kids' bedroom into an exercise room.
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change the nature, purpose, or function of something“convert lead into gold”“convert hotels into jails”“convert slaves to laborers”types:rasterizeconvert (an image) into pixelshumifyconvert (plant remains) into humussporulateconvert into sporesdeadenconvert (metallic mercury) into a grey powder consisting of minute globules, as by shaking with chalk or fatty oilreceiveconvert into sounds or picturesreconvertconvert backmaltconvert into maltmaltconvert grain into maltfeudalizebring (a country or people) under feudalismflourconvert grain into flourreclaimmake useful again; transform from a useless or uncultivated statenitrifyconvert into nitric acid, nitrous acid, or nitrate, especially with the action of nitrobacteriatantreat skins and hides with tannic acid so as to convert them into leatherdressconvert into leathercompostconvert to composttransitioncause to convert or undergo a transitiontranscribeconvert the genetic information in (a strand of DNA) into a strand of RNA, especially messenger RNAscrapmake into scrap or refusediazotizeconvert (an amine) into a diazo compoundhayconvert (plant material) into haylignifyconvert into wood or cause to become woodymineralizetransform (a metal) into an oremineralizeconvert into a mineral substanceslagconvert into slagsulfateconvert into a sulfatecutinizeconvert into cutinduplexchange into a duplexencodeconvert information into codevinifyconvert a juice into wine by fermentationbarktan (a skin) with bark tannins
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change in nature, purpose, or function; undergo a chemical change
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change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy“We converted from 220 to 110 Volt”synonyms: change over
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make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something
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cause to adopt a new or different faith
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change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief“She converted to Buddhism”type of:changeundergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
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exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category“Could you convert my dollars into pounds?”“convert centimeters into inches”“convert holdings into shares”types:rectifyconvert into direct currentutilizeconvert (from an investment trust to a unit trust)launderconvert illegally obtained funds into legal onesbreakexchange for smaller units of moneyovercapitalise, overcapitalizecapitalize beyond what the business or the profit-making prospects warranttype of:replacesubstitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
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exchange a penalty for a less severe one
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complete successfully
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score (a spare)
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score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone
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a person who has been converted to another religious or political belieftypes:Converso(medieval Spain and Portugal) a Jew or Moor who professed to convert to Christianity in order to avoid persecution or expulsionproselytea new convert, especially to a religionMarrano(medieval Spain and Portugal) a disparaging term for a Jew who converted to Christianity in order to avoid persecution but continued to practice their religion secretly
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Vocabulary lists containing convert
Here are 68 Tier 2 words that are likely to be found on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) ELA exams for 6th - 11th grades. These words may show up in the reading passages, but you are more likely to encounter them in the test questions and possible answers.
A thorough survey of various textbooks, assignments, content area standards, and examinations yields the following list of words compiled by Jim Burke. You cannot expect to succeed on assignments if you do not understand the directions.
Context is king — that’s the lesson you need to internalize as you begin preparing for the vocabulary questions on the SAT. We have identified this pool of 200 words that cut across the disciplines and lend themselves well to context-dependent interpretation. As you learn this list on Vocabulary.com, you will have to rely on context clues in order to determine each word’s meaning in particular sentences. This is the same type of thinking you will need to develop in order to succeed on the SAT! Following our Roadmap to the SAT? Head back to see what else you should be learning this week.