delegation
Americannoun
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a group or body of delegates.
Our club sent a delegation to the rally.
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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.
Superfan Michel Kuka Mboladinga, who went viral at the Africa Cup of Nations for his eye-catching patriotism during games, has been included in DR Congo's official World Cup delegation at the request of the players.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
Kyiv's delegation -- led by Zelensky in previous years -- will be headed up by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
Bass, who served in Congress for more than a decade, was designated by then-President Biden to be part of his official delegation to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
Vice President JD Vance, who had been expected to lead the U.S. delegation, also postponed his trip amid the deteriorating security situation.
From Salon • Jun. 19, 2026
A great delegation had arrived in Trokorpe, with a truck carrying a huge thing covered with a tarpaulin.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
