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Relegate: meaning, definitions and examples

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relegate

 

[ ˈrɛlɪɡeɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

sports context

To relegate means to assign a lower rank or position to someone or something. In sports, it is often used to describe the movement of a team to a lower division as a consequence of poor performance. This can have significant implications for a team's finances, reputation, and player contracts. Relegation can create an intense rivalry among teams, as it often comes down to the last few matches of the season to determine which teams stay in the top division and which are relegated.

Synonyms

degrade, demote, downgrade, lower

Examples of usage

  • The team was relegated after finishing at the bottom of the league.
  • Relegation can be catastrophic for a football club's finances.
  • Many fans feared their team would be relegated this season.
  • He celebrated their relegation with a sense of schadenfreude.

Translations

Translations of the word "relegate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 relegar

🇮🇳 निचे गिराना

🇩🇪 herabstufen

🇮🇩 menurunkan

🇺🇦 позбавити

🇵🇱 zdegradować

🇯🇵 降格する

🇫🇷 releguer

🇪🇸 relegar

🇹🇷 düşürmek

🇰🇷 강등하다

🇸🇦 إبعاد

🇨🇿 degradovat

🇸🇰 degradovať

🇨🇳 降级

🇸🇮 degradirati

🇮🇸 lægja í lægra stig

🇰🇿 төмендету

🇬🇪 დაბლა გადაყვანა

🇦🇿 relegasiya

🇲🇽 relegar

Etymology

The term 'relegate' originates from the Latin word 'relegare', which means 'to send away' or 'to remove'. This Latin term is a combination of the prefix 're-', meaning 'back' or 'again', and 'legare', meaning 'to send' or 'to appoint'. The word has evolved over time and entered the English language in the early 17th century, primarily used in legal and formal contexts. In contemporary use, especially in sports, it has become a standard term used to describe the action of demoting teams within league systems, particularly in European football. The notion of relegation reflects a competitive structure where performance directly impacts a team's status, contributing to the drama and excitement of seasonal sports competitions.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,716, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.