delegate

1 of 2

noun

del·e·gate ˈde-li-gət

-ˌgāt

Synonyms of delegate next

: a person acting for another: such as

: a representative to a convention or conference

U.N. delegates from African nations

The nominee netted a handful of delegates in the state's caucus.

government : a representative of a U.S. territory in the House of Representatives

government : a member of the lower house of the legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia

delegate

2 of 2

verb

del·e·gate ˈde-li-ˌgāt

delegated; delegating

transitive verb

: to entrust to another

delegate authority

delegated the task to her assistant

: to appoint as one's representative

intransitive verb

: to assign responsibility or authority

a good manager knows how to delegate

delegatee

ˌde-li-gə-ˈtē

noun

delegator

ˈde-li-ˌgā-tər

noun

Did you know?

To delegate is, literally or figuratively, to send another in one’s place, an idea that is reflected in the word’s origin: it is a descendant of the Latin word legare, meaning “to send.” The noun delegate, which refers to a person who is chosen or elected to vote or act for others, arrived in English in the 14th century, while the verb didn't make its entrée till the early 16th century. Some distant cousins of the word delegate that also trace back to legare include legacy, colleague, relegate, and legate, “an official representative sent to a foreign country.”

Examples of delegate in a Sentence

Noun the U.N. delegates from African countries He's been chosen as a delegate to the convention. Verb A manager should delegate authority to the best employees. Those chores can be delegated to someone else. He doesn't delegate very well.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

Sanders did well among working-class voters and in the most populous states but ultimately had fewer delegates at the 2016 national convention than Hillary Clinton. —

Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025 The Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee selected Dylan Behler to fill the open District 30A delegate seat after Shaneka Henson was promoted to the Maryland Senate. —

Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2025

Verb

So if delegating more authority to Fangio as a coordinator and putting aside ego is one of the key elements of this team’s success, that is still the quality of a leader. —

Pat Leonard, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025 One way to do this is by delegating tasks to others. —

Julie Scott, Msn, Anp-Bc, Aocnp, Verywell Health, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for delegate

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English delegat, from Medieval Latin delegatus, from Latin, past participle of delegare to delegate, from de- + legare to send — more at legate

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of delegate was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Delegate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delegate. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

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Kids Definition

delegate

1 of 2 noun

del·e·gate ˈdel-i-gət

-ˌgāt

: a person sent with power to act for another : representative

delegate

2 of 2 verb

del·e·gate ˈdel-i-ˌgāt

delegated; delegating

: to entrust to another

delegate authority

: to appoint as one's delegate

Legal Definition

delegate

1 of 2 noun

del·e·gate ˈde-li-gət

: a person empowered to act on behalf of another: as

: a person who is authorized to perform another's duties under a contract

: a representative to a convention (as of a political party) or conference

: a representative of a U.S. territory in the House of Representatives

: a member of the lower house of the legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia

delegate

2 of 2 verb

del·e·gate ˈde-li-ˌgāt

delegated; delegating

transitive verb

: to entrust or transfer (as power, authority, or responsibility) to another: as

: to transfer (one's contractual duties) to another

: to empower a body (as an administrative agency) to perform (a governmental function) see also nondelegation doctrine

: to appoint as one's representative

intransitive verb

: to transfer responsibility or authority

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin delegatus, from Latin, past participle of delegare to appoint, put in charge

Last Updated: 7 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences

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delegate

noun

verb

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Synonyms

Examples of delegate in a Sentence

Word History

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Dictionary Entries Near delegate

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Kids Definition

Legal Definition