designate

[ verb dez-ig-neyt; adjective dez-ig-nit, -neyt ]

/ verb ˈdɛz ɪgˌneɪt; adjective ˈdɛz ɪg nɪt, -ˌneɪt /

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See synonyms for: designate / designated / designates / designating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), des·ig·nat·ed, des·ig·nat·ing.

to mark or point out; indicate; show; specify.

to denote; indicate; signify.

to name; entitle; style.

to nominate or select for a duty, office, purpose, etc.; appoint; assign.

adjective

named or selected for an office, position, etc., but not yet installed (often used in combination following the noun it modifies): ambassador-designate.

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Origin of designate

1640–50; <Latin dēsignātus, past participle of dēsignāre.See design, -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM designate

des·ig·na·tive, des·ig·na·to·ry

[dez-ig-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, dez-ig-ney-tuh-ree], /ˈdɛz ɪg nəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, ˌdɛz ɪgˈneɪ tə ri/, adjectivedes·ig·na·tor, nounde·des·ig·nate, verb (used with object), de·des·ig·nat·ed, de·des·ig·nat·ing.non·des·ig·nate, adjective

non·des·ig·na·tive, adjectivere·des·ig·nate, verb (used with object), re·des·ig·nat·ed, re·des·ig·nat·ing.un·des·ig·nat·ed, adjectiveun·des·ig·na·tive, adjectivewell-des·ig·nat·ed, adjective

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

How to use designate in a sentence

Air Force planes would drop pallets full of food and mail out of the back of the plane, with parachutes, onto a designated drop zone.
What You Can Learn from Living in Antarctica - Issue 92: Frontiers|Marissa Grunes|November 11, 2020|Nautilus
CPRA allows users to designate that their SPI be used only for the essential delivery of a good or service.
Concrete steps marketers should take now to get ready for CA’s CPRA in 2023|Greg Sterling|November 11, 2020|Search Engine Land
Such data determines whether areas are designated red, orange or yellow zones.
New York’s block-by-block lockdowns are curbing covid-19. But residents aren’t pleased.|Ben Guarino|November 8, 2020|Washington Post
We still don’t know if the National League will have a designated hitter next season.
What’s missing from the Nationals’ roster? Here’s an early look.|Jesse Dougherty|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

The other National League winners were Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, San Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Solano, Padres third baseman Manny Machado and Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.
Nationals’ Juan Soto, nixed for MVP consideration, wins first Silver Slugger|Jesse Dougherty|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
An attendant in a gaily-colored holiday tunic, (designator) corresponds with our box-opener or usher.
Quintus Claudius, Volume 2 of 2|Ernst Eckstein
The order of the procession was arranged by the designator, master of ceremonies, and it closely resembled a triumphal procession.
The Historical Child|Oscar Chrisman
At funerals, his office corresponded with that of the Roman dominus funeris or designator, referred to by Horace, Ep.
Dealings with the Dead, Volume I (of 2)|A Sexton of the Old School
Such was the usage in Rome, where the director was styled dominus funeris or designator.
Dealings with the Dead, Volume I (of 2)|A Sexton of the Old School

British Dictionary definitions for designate

designate

verb (ˈdɛzɪɡˌneɪt) (tr)

to indicate or specify

to give a name to; style; entitle

to select or name for an office or duty; appoint

adjective (ˈdɛzɪɡnɪt, -ˌneɪt)

(immediately postpositive) appointed, but not yet in officea minister designate

Derived forms of designate

designative or designatory (ˌdɛzɪɡˈneɪtrɪ), adjectivedesignator, noun

Word Origin for designate

C15: from Latin dēsignātus marked out, defined; see design

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

designate

Origin of designate

OTHER WORDS FROM designate

Words related to designate

How to use designate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for designate

Derived forms of designate

Word Origin for designate