delegate
noun /ˈdɛlɪɡət 
/
/1A person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference: congress delegates rejected the proposals...
- First, about 27 districts sent two delegates (double representation) to this congress.
- As a conference delegate representing the region, she has already successfully moved several resolutions.
- He is our delegate, elected to represent our wishes to the best of his ability.
Synonyms
representative, envoy, emissary, commissioner, agent, deputy, commissary;
spokesperson, spokesman, spokeswoman, frontman;
ambassador, plenipotentiary;
messenger, go-between, proxy;
Scottish depute;
Roman Catholic Church nuncio
archaic legate
1.1A member of a committee.Following this process, most of the vetoes were then actioned by US delegates to the committee....
- They set up soviets - committees of workers' delegates.
- The argument was between the committee delegates who have ordinary jobs as well as positions in the union and the full time union officials who lead the pay negotiations.
verb /ˈdɛlɪɡeɪt / [with object]
/ [with object]1Entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself: she must delegate duties so as to free herself for more important tasks the power delegated to him must never be misused...
- Similarly, if a questionnaire is sent to a manager in a firm, the task may simply be delegated to someone else.
- Managerial tasks could be delegated to others.
- Now that states have responsibility for the registration list, this task should not be delegated to localities.
Synonyms
assign, entrust, give, pass on, hand on/over, turn over, consign, devolve, depute, transfer
1.1 [with object and infinitive] Send or authorize (someone) to do something as a representative: Edward was delegated to meet new arrivals...
- I've delegated three people to rectify the problem, but none of them seem to know what the problem is.
- The committee delegated members of the council to enter into negotiations with a suitable bar and catering contractor.
- In the past he has delegated someone to read those that are written in languages he finds difficult.
Synonyms
authorize, commission, depute, appoint, nominate, name, mandate, empower, charge, choose, select, designate, elect;
Military detail
Derivatives
delegable
- Executive power is delegable, but judicial & legislative powers aren't.
- Yes, but what we have here is extended delegable powers, and the real fear is that that will create regional inconsistencies.
- What is delegable is the discharge of particular functions.
delegator
- Therefore, they tend to be excellent delegators.
- It also demonstrates that the President is either an over-zealous delegator, plain lazy or lacking the intelligence to sort out the wheat from the chaff himself.
- A self-confessed appalling delegator, he wanted to run the club as a dictatorship of sorts, his final say status extending to even the most trivial aspects.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin delegatus 'sent on a commission', from the verb delegare, from de- 'down' + legare 'depute'.