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
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.
If Camp is elected, she will have to resign from the Education Devolution & Delegation Investigation & Advisory Committee.
From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025
Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Lothar Jaschke said Thursday that his group is fully supporting an environment to enable elections, a constitution and transitional justice.
From Seattle Times • May 30, 2024
As a result, the Montgomery County Senate Delegation proposed the potential of withdrawing state support for the organization.
From Salon • Nov. 18, 2023
“We applaud our Delegation for understanding the cultural importance of protecting sacred landscapes and for working tirelessly to permanently prevent further harm on federal lands in the Greater Chaco Region,” the council said.
From Washington Times • May 4, 2023
Thus, far from speaking of attacking, the Delegation only thought of the defensive.
From History of the Commune of 1871 by Lissagary, P.
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.
