Meaning of “designate” in the English Dictionary

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"designate" in English

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designateverb [ T ]

uk ​ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.neɪt/ us ​ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.neɪt/

› to choose someone officially to do a particular job:

Traditionally, the president designates his or her successor.
Thompson has been designated (as/to be) team captain.
[ + to infinitive ] She has been designated to organize the meeting.

› to say officially that a place or thing has a particular character or purpose:

This area of the park has been specially designated for children.
They officially designated the area (as) unsuitable for human habitation.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

designateadjective [ after noun ]

uk ​ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.nət/ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.neɪt/ us ​ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.nət/ /ˈdez.ɪɡ.neɪt/

(Definition of “designate” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"designate" in American English

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designateverb [ T ]

us ​ /ˈdez·ɪɡˌneɪt/

› to choose someone or something for a special job or purpose, or to state that something has a particular character or purpose:

The chairman designated his daughter as his successor.
North-south streets are designated by numbers.
designated
adjective [ not gradable ] us ​ /ˈdez·ɪɡˌneɪ·t̬ɪd/

›

a designated waiting area

(Definition of “designate” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"designate" in Business English

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designateverb [ T ]

uk ​ /ˈdezɪɡneɪt/ us ​

› to choose someone officially to do a particular job:

Traditionally, the director designates his or her successor.
designate sb (as) sth/to be sth Thompson has been designated as new department head.
designate sb to do sth She has been designated to organize the meeting.

› to state officially that a place or thing has a particular character or purpose:

designate sth for sth This area of the plant has been specially designated for research and development.
designate sth (as) sth They officially designated the building as unsuitable for human habitation.

designateadjective [ after noun ]

uk ​ /ˈdezɪɡneɪt/ us ​ /ˈdezɪɡnɪt/

› used after the title of a particular official job to refer to someone who has been chosen to do that job, but who has not yet started doing it:

the Managing Director designate
Compare
-elect

(Definition of “designate” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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