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Glite Dictionary
international Morse code

international Morse code

5.3
A way to show letters and numbers using dots and dashes
  • noun
  • /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənl mɔrs koʊd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : código Morse internacional
  • The distress signal SOS is transmitted in international Morse code as three dots, three dashes, and three dots.

Examples

  • Radio operators communicated secretly using international Morse code during the war.

  • I learned the international Morse code in school.

  • Learning international Morse code can be a useful skill in amateur radio.

  • Can you explain the international Morse codes to me?

  • The sailor used international Morse code to communicate with the nearby ship during the storm.

  • During the emergency, they transmitted their location using international Morse code over the radio.

  • The museum had an exhibit that explained how international Morse code works and its historical significance.

Synonyms

Morse code
vsinternational Morse code
  • Specialized
15 4.1

A system of dots and dashes used to send letters and numbers as messages

is the globally standardized telegraph form rather than local variants
Morse
vsinternational Morse code
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A system using dots and dashes to send letters and numbers

is the globally standardized telegraph form rather than general signaling use

Surface Forms

international Morse code singular
international Morse codes plural

Morphology

international + Morse + code

The noun phrase is fully compositional: 'Morse' (a signalling system using dots and dashes) + 'code' (a system of symbols) describes the signalling system, and 'international' simply specifies the standard used across countries. This makes the overall meaning directly derivable from the constituents and therefore accessible to a B1 learner who knows the component words.

Etymology

International Morse code comes from the old way of sending messages with short and long signals called dots and dashes that operators tapped or flashed. Because people in many countries learned the same patterns for 'letters' and 'numbers', the system became standard around the world and now means a common code of dots and dashes.