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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.
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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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to delegate

commissioner, deputy, envoy, member, minister, nominee, senator, accredit, assign, authorize, designate, elect, entrust, hand over, pass on, relegate, agent, alternate, ambassador, appointee

How to use delegate in a sentence

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
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