deputize
/ˈdɛpjutaɪz/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.62 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To officially empower, authorize, pronounce, and establish (someone) to be a deputy.
Transitive verb
verb
to officially empower and authorize (someone) to act as a substitute in one's role or office
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "I deputize you to act for me while I'm away."
- "Gringoire, on the other hand, stuck with equal firmness to the fact that he was deputizing for a brother officer who was sick — so sick that he had mislaid his orders."
- "What he wanted was someone who could really deputize for him when he was away on business – clearly not the job for a secretary but, because of years of experience and a willingness to take responsibility, one that the previous holder of the post had taken on."
- "It is commonly used in the theatre where an understudy essentially deputizes for an indisposed actor."
Etymology
Etymology tree English deputy Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English deputize From deputy + -ize.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈdɛpjutaɪz/
- British English: /ˈdɛpjətaɪz/