DELEGATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does delegate mean? 

• DELEGATE (noun)
  The noun DELEGATE has 1 sense:

1. a person appointed or elected to represent others

  Familiarity information: DELEGATE used as a noun is very rare.

• DELEGATE (verb)
  The verb DELEGATE has 2 senses:

1. transfer power to someone

2. give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)

  Familiarity information: DELEGATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DELEGATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person appointed or elected to represent others

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("delegate" is a kind of...):

representative (a person who represents others)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "delegate"):

apostolic delegate ((Roman Catholic Church) a representative of the Holy See in a country that has no formal diplomatic relations with it)

Derivation:

delegate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

delegate (transfer power to someone)

• DELEGATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they delegate    ... he / she / it delegates   
Past simple: delegated   
Past participle: delegated   
-ing form: delegating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Transfer power to someone

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

delegate; depute

Hypernyms (to "delegate" is one way to...):

assign; delegate; depute; designate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

delegacy (the appointment of a delegate)

delegate (a person appointed or elected to represent others)

delegating; delegation (authorizing subordinates to make certain decisions)

delegation (a group of representatives or delegates)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

assign; delegate; depute; designate

Hypernyms (to "delegate" is one way to...):

appoint; charge (assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "delegate"):

mandate (assign authority to)

cast (select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet)

post (assign to a post; put into a post)

cast (assign the roles of (a movie or a play) to actors)

devolve (pass on or delegate to another)

task (assign a task to)

place (place somebody in a particular situation or location)

regiment (assign to a regiment)

reassign; transfer (transfer somebody to a different position or location of work)

delegate; depute (transfer power to someone)

mandate (assign under a mandate)

advance; elevate; kick upstairs; promote; raise; upgrade (give a promotion to or assign to a higher position)

break; bump; demote; kick downstairs; relegate (assign to a lower position; reduce in rank)

place (assign to (a job or a home))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sentence example:

They delegate him to write the letter

Derivation:

delegacy (the appointment of a delegate)

delegate (a person appointed or elected to represent others)

delegation (authorizing subordinates to make certain decisions)

 Context examples 

A trained person who is delegated by medical equipment manufacturer to provide technical advice and assistance concerning the routine maintenance and service of equipment produced by the company.

(Medical Equipment Company Technician or Representative, NCI Thesaurus)

I am the unworthy servant and delegate of him who holds the keys.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But consider—you need not be afraid of delegating power to me.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A person to whom a clinical investigator delegates a few of the routine administrative requirements of a protocol.

(Clinical Coordinator, NCI Thesaurus)

A group delegated to consider some matter; a self-constituted organization to promote something.

(Committee, NCI Thesaurus)

It was agreed among us, however, that no definite statement should be given to the Press until we had met the members of the Zoological Institute, since as delegates it was our clear duty to give our first report to the body from which we had received our commission of investigation.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Already, however, the legal tongues are wagging, and one young law student is loudly asserting that the rights of the owner are already completely sacrificed, his property being held in contravention of the statutes of mortmain, since the tiller, as emblemship, if not proof, of delegated possession, is held in a dead hand.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)