delegation
Americannoun
-
delegations
plural
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a group or body of delegates.
Our club sent a delegation to the rally.
-
the body of delegates chosen to represent a political unit, as a state, in an assembly.
the New Jersey delegation in Congress.
- Synonyms:
- commission
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the act of delegating.
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the state of being delegated.
noun
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a person or group chosen to represent another or others
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the act of delegating or state of being delegated
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politics all the members of Congress from one state
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of delegation
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin dēlēgātiōn-, stem of dēlēgātiō “assignment, appointment,” equivalent to dēlēgāt(us) “assigned, appointed” ( see delegate) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A delegation is a group of people who act as representatives of a larger group. If you’re a member of Congress from the Sunshine State, you’re a member of the Florida delegation. Ever seen the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games? Each country's delegation enters the stadium as a group, marching behind its own flag. Some delegations are a few hundred people, some are only a few, but each delegation is made up of the athletes and coaches sent to represent their country. You can also use delegation to mean assigning something to someone. While you're in the Amazon, you'll need to arrange with your roommates for delegation of your bill-paying duties.
Vocabulary lists containing delegation
Flowers for Algernon
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
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Bill Withers (1938–2020) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chris Slevin, who visited Beijing in July as a commissioner of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, said Chinese officials peppered his delegation with questions about the bilateral AI dialogue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
A spokesman for the US State Department confirmed the decision on Thursday, saying that the delegation will be placed under travel restrictions and will be banned from purchasing certain American products.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Shaw, then still on active duty, led the American delegation.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
In the days leading up to Trump Jr.’s wedding, Kremlev was in China as part of the delegation accompanying Putin, according to Chinese state media.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
His invitation to the delegation was clearer now, too.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
He said the regime has no current plans to send or host delegations.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
As the chief negotiator for Hamas, Hayya led the group's delegations at indirect ceasefire talks, meeting mediators in Egypt and Qatar.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Together he and Clinton cofounded and cochaired the Senate Manufacturing Caucus, traveled abroad together on congressional delegations, and partnered on climate policy and healthcare initiatives.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Iranian leaders used Quran verses to greet foreign delegations, signaling perseverance to allies and implicit warnings to regional competitors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
“In an attempt to learn the secrets of the jinn, the Scholars sent delegations to negotiate with the King-of-No-Name. They received a gentle but firm response. “We are jinn.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
