decentralized

especially British, de·cen·tral·ised

[dee-sen-truh-lahyzd]

adjective

1. (of a central authority) having much of the decision-making power vested in teams, divisions, or local branches instead of in a single center of power.

   They implemented a decentralized scheme for the business, dividing it into four geographic areas managed by local staff.

   A system of decentralized government empowered communities at the grassroots level and gave them a say in how they were governed.

2. happening or carried out locally and usually independently.

   Decentralized wastewater treatment puts the treatment system at or near the school, industrial site, etc., that generates the wastewater.

3. dispersed from a core area; spread out.

   It is challenging for our state to provide public services and infrastructure to an ever-growing and decentralized population base.

4. (of currency) not controlled or distributed by a government, bank, or other third party, as bitcoin and some other digital currencies.

   While decentralized currencies are hurting in a bearish month, the prospects for state-issued virtual money look even dimmer.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of decentralize.

Word History and Origins

Origin of decentralized¹

First recorded in 1830–40; decentralize + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; decentralize ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

“The small size of TDA’s cells, its focus on low-skill criminal activities and its decentralized structure make it highly unlikely that TDA coordinates large volumes of human trafficking or migrant smuggling.”

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As a sociologist studying extremism and white supremacy since 1993, I have watched the movement shift from formal organizations to small, decentralized cells – a change embodied most clearly by Active Clubs.

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In a time when the threat from Islamic extremism remains global and decentralized, we can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to the architects of the movement.

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What if L.A.’s so-called flaws — its low density, car culture and decentralized sprawl — weren’t liabilities in a changing world, but underappreciated assets?

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A decentralized, low-cost, flexible cottage industry will likely be transformed into a centralized, high-cost, inflexible cash cow for the merchants of death.

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Related Words

• disperse 
• distribute 
• scatter