Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

designate

/ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.37 in modern English

Syllables: des-ig-nate
IPA: /ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/

11

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Designated; appointed; chosen.

adj

Used after a role title to indicate that the person has been selected but has yet to take up the role.

British usage

verb

To mark out and make known; to point out; to indicate; to show; to distinguish by marks or description

verb

To call by a distinctive title; to name.

verb

To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty — with to or for; to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.

Example Sentences

"King designate"
"to designate the boundaries of a country"
"to designate the rioters who are to be arrested"
""Yes, let 'Sister' Davis have a whack at it too," urged George Bland. Tom Davis, who was Joe Matson's particular chum, was designated "Sister" because, in an incautious moment, when first coming to Excelsior Hall, he had shown a picture of his very pretty sister, Mabel."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dēsignātus, perfect passive participle of designō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of design.

Word Breakdown

Root: *sek-, *sekʷ-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/
British English: /ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

designates (present, singular) designating (participle, present) designated (participle, past) designated (past)

Derived Forms

designatable designator designatory designee indesignate nondesignating predesignate redesignate

Phrases

Commissioner-designate designated driver designated hitter

Frequently Paired Words

codesignative designation designative designatum

Synonyms

appoint denote describe indicate note denominate entitle name style allocate earmark

Questions

How do you pronounce designate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/.
What does designate mean?: Designated; appointed; chosen.
Where does designate come from?: Borrowed from Latin dēsignātus, perfect passive participle of designō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of design.

How to pronounce designate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “designate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdɛz.ɪɡ.nət/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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