Meaning & use
transcript
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Meanings
nouncountable
A written version of words that were spoken, such as an interview, speech or court hearing.
Grammar: Takes a plural: transcripts. Often followed by of: a transcript of the call.
Patterns
- a transcript of something
- read the transcript
The reporter checked the transcript of the interview for errors.
A full transcript of the speech is on the website.
The court released a transcript of the trial.
nouncountableAmerican
An official record of the courses a student took and the grades they received.
Grammar: American usage mainly; British schools usually say academic record. Often with academic: an academic transcript.
Patterns
- send a transcript
- an official transcript
The university asked for her high school transcript.
He ordered an official transcript to send with his job application.
Her transcript shows straight A's in math.
Word forms
| plural | transcripts |
|---|
Common combinations
- an official transcript
- You must submit an official transcript with your application.
- a full transcript
- A full transcript of the hearing was published online.
- request a transcript
- I need to request a transcript from my old college.
- read the transcript
- You can read the transcript if you cannot watch the video.
- an academic transcript
- An academic transcript lists every course and grade.
Synonyms and how they differ
- record
- Record is a general word for any documented information, while a transcript is specifically a written copy of speech or grades.
- written copy
- A written copy is the plain description of a transcript, but it does not carry the official or exact sense of the word.
- report card
- A report card summarizes a student's grades for one term, whereas an academic transcript lists the whole record.
- minutes
- Minutes are a summary of what was said at a meeting, not a word-for-word transcript.
Word family
- transcribe verb
- to write out spoken words or put into writing
- transcription noun
- the act of writing something down, or the result
- transcriber noun
- a person who transcribes
- script noun
- written text of a play, film or talk
Commonly confused: transcript or script?
transcript vs script
A script is written before something is spoken or filmed, while a transcript is written afterward from what was actually said.
Practice
The audio file was too long to play, so the reporter asked for a ____ of the call to scan quickly.
Choose one answer.
A transcript is the written version of spoken words and can be scanned. A trailer, weather summary or sketch would not capture what was said.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “transcript”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.