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delegate

 - 5 dictionary results

del⋅e⋅gate

  [n. del-i-git, -geyt; v. del-i-geyt] noun, verb, -gat⋅ed, -gat⋅ing.
Use delegate in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person designated to act for or represent another or others; deputy; representative, as in a political convention.
2. (formerly) the representative of a Territory in the U.S. House of Representatives.
3. a member of the lower house of the state legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia.
–verb (used with object)
4. to send or appoint (a person) as deputy or representative.
5. to commit (powers, functions, etc.) to another as agent or deputy.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME (n.) < ML dēlēgātus, n. use of L: ptp. of dēlēgāre to assign, equiv. to dē- de- + lēgātus deputed; see legate

Related forms:
del⋅e⋅ga⋅tee  [del-i-guh-tee] , noun
del⋅e⋅ga⋅tor  [del-i-gey-ter] , noun

Synonyms:
5. entrust, assign, transfer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To delegate
del·e·gate   (děl'ĭ-gāt', -gĭt)   
n.  

  1. A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy or an agent.

  2. A representative to a conference or convention.

  3. A member of a House of Delegates, the lower house of the Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia legislature.

  4. An elected or appointed representative of a U.S. territory in the House of Representatives who is entitled to speak but not vote.

tr.v.   (-gāt') del·e·gat·ed, del·e·gat·ing, del·e·gates

  1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.

  2. To commit or entrust to another: delegate a task to a subordinate.

  3. Law To appoint (one's debtor) as a debtor to one's creditor in place of oneself.


[Middle English delegat, from Medieval Latin dēlēgātus, from past participle of dēlēgāre, to dispatch : Latin dē-, de- + Latin lēgāre, to send; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]
del'e·ga'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

delegate  (n.)
c.1380, from L. delegatus, pp. of delegare "to send as a representative," from de- "from, away" + legare "send with a commission." The verb is from 1530.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: del·e·gate
Pronunciation: 'de-li-g&t
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin delegatus, from Latin, past participle of delegare to appoint, put in charge
: a person empowered to act on behalf of another: as a : a person who is authorized to perform another's duties under a contract b : a representative to a convention (as of a political party) or conference c : a representative of a U.S. territory in the House of Representatives d : a member of the lower house of the legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia

Main Entry: del·e·gate
Pronunciation: 'de-li-"gAt
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -gat·ed; -gat·ing
transitive verb 1 : to entrust or transfer (as power, authority, or responsibility) to another: as a : to transfer (one's contractual duties) to another b : to empower a body (as an administrative agency) to perform (a governmental function) —see also NONDELEGATION DOCTRINE
2 : to appoint as one's representative intransitive verb : to transfer responsibility or authority
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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