designation
Americannoun
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an act of designating.
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the fact of being designated.
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something that designates; a distinctive name or title; appellation.
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nomination, appointment, or election to an office, position, etc..
His designation as treasurer has been confirmed.
noun
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something that designates, such as a name or distinctive mark
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the act of designating or the fact of being designated
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of designation
1350–1400; Middle English designacioun < Latin dēsignātiōn- (stem of dēsignātiō ) a marking out, equivalent to dēsignāt ( us ) ( see designate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
When something has a designation, it has a title or a description that helps you identify it. The “organic” designation on the vegetables you buy lets you know that no pesticides were used in growing the plants. Designation can refer to a title, official or otherwise. You may earn the designation “class clown” for your goofiness, or ask your friends to refer to you by the designation, "Madame Super Brain." Designation is also the act of assigning such a title or position, like the designation of your daughter as heir to your estate. Often, designation refers to giving a formal position. The district board may be responsible for the designation of the next principal at your school.
Vocabulary lists containing designation
47 Great Words from "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," by Junot Diaz
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50 Great Words from "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," by Jonathan Safran-Foer
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Auggie & Me
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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.
Lula made his own request against the designation when he was received by Trump at the White House two weeks ago.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
“The estate bears the name Shoemaker originally gave his villa, ‘Cedar Cliff’—a designation that eventually defined the very road on which it stands.”
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
Tanzania's Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo told the BBC that the government was yet to receive the formal designation, which bars Mafwele from entering the US.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Yes, that’s the same designation given to Ebola-stricken countries, which seems strange at first glance.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
Some, like Dorothy Vaughan and Dorothy Hoover, made the grade as mathematicians from day one; others earned the designation over time.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
