transpose

IPA/trænˈspəʊz/
KK[trænspˈoz]IPA/trænˈspəʊz/

transpose — verb

  • transposepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • transposeshe / she / it
  • transposedpast simple
  • transposing-ing form

1. to exchange the places of two items, or to shift one thing to a new position

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to exchange the places of two items, or to shift one thing to a new position

Example

Zara noticed the sign writer had transposed the last two letters of her name.

transpose + letters/characters

The editor transposed the second and third paragraphs to improve the flow.

transpose + [item] and [item]

Common collocations
  • transpose letters
  • transpose digits
  • transpose numbers
  • transpose words
  • transpose the order
Synonyms
  • swap

    more informal; used for a direct two-way exchange

  • switch

    similar to swap but broader; can mean changing one thing for another without exchange

  • interchange

    closest in register to transpose; often used for ideas or roles rather than physical objects

  • rearrange

    broader; changing the order of several items, not limited to two

Grammar Patterns

transpose + noun

transpose + noun + and + noun

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'swap' or 'switch' sounds much more natural than 'transpose.' This word is most at home in editing, printing, and technical contexts.

Common Mistakes

I transposed phone numbers with her.
I swapped phone numbers with her.
In casual situations, 'swap' or 'switch' is the natural choice; 'transpose' feels stiff and overly formal.

2. to perform or write out a musical work in a new key, shifting all the notes high

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to perform or write out a musical work in a new key, shifting all the notes higher or lower

Example

Amara transposed the hymn from C major down to A major for the children's choir.

transpose from [key] to [key]

The guitarist used a capo to transpose the song without learning new chord shapes.

Common collocations
  • transpose a song
  • transpose a piece
  • transpose a melody
  • transpose from...to...
  • transpose down
  • transpose up
Synonyms
  • modulate

    more technical; usually refers to changing key within a piece rather than rewriting the whole piece in a new key

Grammar Patterns

transpose + noun + from...to...

transpose + noun + up/down by...

Usage Note

Only used for changing the key of music. The object must be a musical work, a part, or a passage — never a person or a physical object.

Common Mistakes

I transposed the song to sheet music.
I transcribed the song to sheet music.
'Transpose' means changing the key, not writing music down from a recording. Use 'transcribe' for that.

3. in algebra, to shift a term across the equals sign, flipping its sign from posit

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

in algebra, to shift a term across the equals sign, flipping its sign from positive to negative or the reverse

Example

To solve for x, transpose the constant term to the right-hand side of the equation.

transpose + [term] + to the [side]

Dmitri carefully transposed each variable, double-checking that every sign had been reversed.

Common collocations
  • transpose a term
  • transpose a variable
  • transpose to the right-hand side
  • transpose to the left-hand side

Grammar Patterns

transpose + noun + to the other side

transpose — noun

Word family

  • transposition
    nounC1
  • transposable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Transpose, swap, switch, interchange, and rearrange all describe changing the order or position of things, but they differ in register and scope. Swap is the most informal and implies a direct two-way exchange — you swap seats with a friend or swap phone numbers. Switch is similar but broader: you can switch jobs or switch channels without an exchange taking place. Interchange is the closest in formality to transpose; it often describes abstract exchanges (interchangeable parts, interchanging ideas) and can sound technical. Rearrange is the broadest of the set — it covers changing the order of multiple items, not just two, as in rearranging furniture or a timetable. Transpose stands apart as the most formal; it appears mainly in editing, printing, music, and mathematics, and would sound stilted in everyday conversation. For example, you might say 'The editor transposed two paragraphs' in a professional setting, but at home you would say 'I swapped the salt and sugar by mistake.'

swap ↗switch ↗interchange ↗rearrange

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • transpose A and B

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Transpose comes from the Latin verb 'transponere,' built from 'trans-' (across) and 'ponere' (to place or put). It passed through Old French into English in the late 14th century with the broad meaning 'to put something in a different place.' The musical sense — changing the key of a piece — emerged in the 17th century. The mathematical uses, both the matrix sense and the equation-term sense, developed later in the 19th century as algebra and linear algebra matured as formal disciplines.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Noun