delegate

[ noun del-i-git, -geyt; verb del-i-geyt ]

/ noun ˈdɛl ɪ gɪt, -ˌgeɪt; verb ˈdɛl ɪˌgeɪt /

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See synonyms for: delegate / delegated / delegates / delegating on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person designated to act for or represent another or others; deputy; representative, as in a political convention.

(formerly) the representative of a Territory in the U.S. House of Representatives.

a member of the lower house of the state legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia.

verb (used with object), del·e·gat·ed, del·e·gat·ing.

to send or appoint (a person) as deputy or representative.

to commit (powers, functions, etc.) to another as agent or deputy.

OTHER WORDS FOR delegate

5 entrust, assign, transfer.

See synonyms for delegate on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of delegate

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (past participle) delegat, from Medieval Latin dēlēgātus, noun use of past participle of dēlēgāre “to assign,” equivalent to dē- de- + lēgātus “deputed”; see legate

OTHER WORDS FROM delegate

del·e·ga·tee

[del-i-guh-tee], /ˌdɛl ɪ gəˈti/, noundel·e·ga·tor

[del-i-gey-ter], /ˈdɛl ɪˌgeɪ tər/, nounnon·del·e·gate, nounpre·del·e·gate, noun, verb, pre·del·e·gat·ed, pre·del·e·gat·ing.

re·del·e·gate, verb (used with object), re·del·e·gat·ed, re·del·e·gat·ing.sub·del·e·gate, nounsub·del·e·gate, verb (used with object), sub·del·e·gat·ed, sub·del·e·gat·ing.un·del·e·gat·ed, adjective

Words nearby delegate

delectation, Deledda, delegable, delegacy, delegalize, delegate, delegation, delegatory, delegitimize, de Lesseps, delete

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use delegate in a sentence

I think, not that every kid can delegate reading their homework assignment or delegate memorizing their times table.
Am I Boring You? (Ep. 225 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 25, 2021|Freakonomics
The state GOP’s governing board voted late Tuesday night to hold its convention in parking lots spread out across campus, with thousands of delegates seated in their vehicles and candidate speeches possibly piped in through car radios.
Liberty University surprised by Virginia GOP plans for drive-in convention on campus|Laura Vozzella|February 24, 2021|Washington Post
To me, that’s a clear reflection that those delegates had been in prior communication with the candidate, or someone else.
Politics Report: The Special Election Is Upon Us|Andrew Keatts|February 13, 2021|Voice of San Diego
I secured the delegate list, made the calls and many folks didn’t answer or return my call.
Politics Report: The Special Election Is Upon Us|Andrew Keatts|February 13, 2021|Voice of San Diego

A local bill to overhaul disciplinary practices has been shelved as delegates in Annapolis debate broader changes statewide.
In Maryland’s largest suburb, an ambitious police overhaul faces roadblocks|Rebecca Tan, Dan Morse|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
“Welcome, welcome to Brooklyn,” the senator sang as each delegate descended from the bus.
DINO Hunters Are Dreaming Hipster Dreams of the DNC in Brooklyn|David Freedlander|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Stalwarts hoped to swarm the convention and force a challenge to the delegate roll.
The GOP’s Last Identity Crisis Remade U.S. Politics|Michael Wolraich|July 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shaw put himself right alongside the line and took a minute to shake hands and greet each delegate.
The Bizarro World Of Iowa’s GOP Convention|Ben Jacobs|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Under the Soviet regime, people preferred to delegate power and decision-making to others—Stalin, for example.
Inside ‘Maidan’: Sergei Loznitsa on His Ukrainian Uprising Doc and Putin’s ‘Fascist’ Regime|Richard Porton|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Virginia State Delegate Barbara Comstock is the ur-Republican.
Republican Congressional Candidate's Awkward Obama Vote|Ben Jacobs|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One delegate said that he found fully one third of the men in his wards professing Christians.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
A delegate of the Christian Commission sat down to write a letter for him to his wife, to be sent by a flag of truce.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
The Tallest Delegate was called smartly to order; he rebelled, but when threatened with the sergeant-at-arms subsided amid jeers.
A Hoosier Chronicle|Meredith Nicholson
The delegate from Marion, like the mysterious person from Pulaski, was a stranger to state conventions.
A Hoosier Chronicle|Meredith Nicholson
The next morning the ejected delegate sailed for London, but soon went to Paris where he helped to form radical groups.
Comrade Kropotkin|Victor Robinson

British Dictionary definitions for delegate

delegate

noun (ˈdɛlɪˌɡeɪt, -ɡɪt)

a person chosen or elected to act for or represent another or others, esp at a conference or meeting

US government a representative of a territory in the US House of Representatives

verb (ˈdɛlɪˌɡeɪt)

to give or commit (duties, powers, etc) to another as agent or representative; depute

(tr) to send, authorize, or elect (a person) as agent or representative

(tr) mainly US to assign (a person owing a debt to oneself) to one's creditor in substitution for oneself

Derived forms of delegate

delegable (ˈdɛlɪɡəbəl), adjective

Word Origin for delegate

C14: from Latin dēlēgāre to send on a mission, from lēgāre to send, depute; see legate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

delegate

OTHER WORDS FOR delegate

Origin of delegate

OTHER WORDS FROM delegate

Words nearby delegate

Words related to delegate

How to use delegate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for delegate

Derived forms of delegate

Word Origin for delegate