1. A word or phrase formed by translating the parts of a foreign word or expression into the native language.
Usage: linguistics term; plural of calque

1. To form a word or phrase by translating the parts of a foreign word or expression into the native language.
Usage: linguistics term; third person singular present tense

Examples

• The English phrase 'skyscraper' is a calque of the German 'Wolkenkratzer'.
• Many calques exist between English and Romance languages due to historical contact.
• The translator calques the idiom rather than using a natural equivalent.
• French 'gratte-ciel' is a calque of the English 'skyscraper'.
• Linguists study how calques reveal cultural and linguistic borrowing patterns.
• She calques the technical term directly from the source document.