designate

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

verb (used with object)

, des·ig·nat·ed, des·ig·nat·ing.

1. to mark or point out; indicate; show; specify.
2. to denote; indicate; signify.
3. to name; entitle; style.
4. to nominate or select for a duty, office, purpose, etc.; appoint; assign.

adjective

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

   ambassador-designate.

designate

/ ˌdɛzɪɡˈneɪtrɪ /

verb

1. to indicate or specify
2. to give a name to; style; entitle
3. to select or name for an office or duty; appoint

adjective

1. immediately postpositive appointed, but not yet in office

   a minister designate

Derived Forms

• ˈdesigˌnative, adjective
• ˈdesigˌnator, noun

Other Words From

• desig·native des·ig·na·to·ry [dez, -ig-n, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, dez-ig-, ney, -t, uh, -ree], adjective
• desig·nator noun
• de·desig·nate verb (used with object) dedesignated dedesignating
• non·desig·nate adjective
• non·desig·native adjective
• re·desig·nate verb (used with object) redesignated redesignating
• un·desig·nated adjective
• un·desig·native adjective
• well-desig·nated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of designate¹

1640–50; < Latin dēsignātus, past participle of dēsignāre. See design, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of designate¹

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

Example Sentences

This could include reserving vaccines in under-resourced racial and ethnic minority communities for local residents and designating senior hours for those 65 and older.

From Popular-Science

You’ll need to charge and connect your own power bank, which can easily slide into the designated built-in pocket.

From Popular-Science

Teams will still have the ability to sign up to three high-priced players, known as designated players, beyond typical salary restrictions.

From Washington Post

The sickliest one, whom I designated a female and named Truffles, couldn’t crack the shells.

From Washington Post

The bill specifically designates English-learners, migrant students, homeless students, low-income students, foster youth and disengaged students as those eligible to receive support.

From Voice of San Diego

Lo thinks the local government should designate one or two protest sites and leave the demonstrators alone.

From The Daily Beast

Under the law government branches other than the defense ministry would have the power to designate information as state secrets.

From The Daily Beast

It was the first time in history that the Senate had sustained a filibuster against a cabinet secretary-designate.

From The Daily Beast

The president alone should not be able to designate a U.S. person as an enemy combatant and then order operatives to kill him.

From The Daily Beast

"Secretary-Designate Hagel is focused on the work he's got to do," the Democratic official said.

From The Daily Beast

In marking the public lands of the western territories by statute monuments must designate the corners of the tract.

From Project Gutenberg

It may also be used to designate simply a clever man, who is neither very good nor very wicked.

From Project Gutenberg

But could any dependent being fully designate its glorious origin, and infinite Surety?

From Project Gutenberg

Mme. Falcon has given, in the provinces, her name to designate tragic "sopranos."

From Project Gutenberg

The religious partisans generally designate the incredulous as libertines.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• allocate
• allot
• appoint
• appropriate
• assign
• authorize
• choose
• define
• describe
• earmark
• elect
• mark
• name
• nominate
• set aside
• stipulate