delegate
delegate Lexical Profile
delegate Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference or political convention.
"Each member nation sent a senior delegate to the international climate summit in Geneva."
American An elected member of the lower house of the state legislature in certain US states, such as Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, or a non-voting representative of a US territory in the House of Representatives.
"The state delegate introduced a bipartisan bill to improve funding for rural public schools."
• verb
To entrust a task, responsibility, or authority to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself.
"Effective managers know how to delegate routine administrative tasks so they can focus on strategic planning."
To appoint or send someone as a representative to a council, conference, or negotiation.
"The board voted to delegate two senior attorneys to handle the contract negotiations in London."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Delegate" is a heteronym whose pronunciation shifts depending on its part of speech: as a noun, the final syllable is pronounced with a reduced vowel (/ˈdɛlɪɡət/), whereas as a verb, the final syllable carries a secondary stress and a long "a" sound (/ˈdɛlɪɡeɪt/).
• Rhymes for delegate
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Latin "delegatus", the past participle of "delegare" (to send as a representative or entrust), formed from "de-" (away) and "legare" (to send with a commission).