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Delegate Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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delegate

[หˆdษ›lษชษกษ™t ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

politics

A person chosen or elected to act or speak for others; a representative.

Synonyms

ambassador, representative, spokesperson.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
delegate

Use this term when referring to a person who has been chosen or elected to represent a group, especially in a conference, meeting, or political assembly.

  • She was chosen as a delegate to the international conference.
  • Each delegate will have the chance to speak during the meeting.
representative

Appropriate in situations where a person is acting on behalf of another person or a group in a broad sense, including business, political, or informal contexts.

  • She works as a sales representative for a major corporation.
  • A representative from the community attended the town hall meeting.
ambassador

Suitable for referring to a high-ranking official who represents their country in a foreign country, often dealing with diplomatic relations and governmental issues.

  • The ambassador hosted a dinner for international dignitaries.
  • He was appointed as the new ambassador to France.
spokesperson

Best used when referring to someone who speaks on behalf of an organization, company, or group, often in dealing with media or public announcements.

  • The company's spokesperson addressed the recent controversy.
  • A spokesperson for the police department gave a statement to the press.

Examples of usage

  • She was elected as a delegate to the conference.
  • The union delegates voted to strike.
  • The delegate spoke on behalf of the group.
Context #2 | Verb

task

To entrust a task or responsibility to another person.

Synonyms

allocate, assign, entrust.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
delegate

Used when you give someone the authority to carry out a specific task or responsibility on your behalf.

  • The manager chose to delegate the project oversight to her most experienced team member
assign

Commonly used when designating a specific person or group to take on a specific task.

  • The teacher will assign homework to the students every week
allocate

Appropriate in situations where you are distributing resources, tasks, or responsibilities among multiple people or entities.

  • The committee needs to allocate the budget among different departments
entrust

Used when you place something or someone under the care of another person, implying trust.

  • He decided to entrust his valuables to a friend while he was traveling

Examples of usage

  • He decided to delegate the project to his assistant.
  • She delegated the decision-making to the committee.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'delegate'

The word 'delegate' comes from the Latin word 'delegatus', which means 'sent on a mission'. It originated in the 15th century and was used primarily in political contexts to refer to a person chosen to represent others. Over time, the term has expanded to include various fields where individuals are assigned tasks or responsibilities on behalf of others.

See also: delegated, delegates, delegating, delegation.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,312 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.