code

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin caudex, codex trunk of a tree, document formed originally from wooden tablets Date: 14th century 1. a systematic statement of a body of law; especially one given statutory force 2. a system of principles or rules <

moral code

> 3. a. a system of signals or symbols for communication b. a system of symbols (as letters or numbers) used to represent assigned and often secret meanings 4. genetic code 5. a set of instructions for a computer • codeless adjective II. verb (coded; coding) Date: 1815 transitive verb to put in or into the form or symbols of a code intransitive verb to specify the genetic code <

a gene that codes for a protein

> • codable adjective • coder noun