I. -ˌnā]t, -_nə̇], usu ]d.+V adjective
Etymology: Latin designatus, past participle of designare
: chosen for an office but not yet installed — used after the noun
called president-elect or president- designate
the pledges of the governor designate
II. -ˌnāt, usu -ād.+V\ transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin designatus, past participle of designare, literally, to mark out — more at design
1.
a. : to point out the location of
a marker designating the crest of the flood waters
b. : to make known directly as if by sign : signify , indicate
any reasonable task designated by the employer
c. : to distinguish as to class : denominate , identify , label
the area we designate as that of spiritual values — J.B.Conant
d. : specify , stipulate
sending food packages to designated recipients in Europe
a gift designated by the donor to be used for faculty compensation
2.
a. : to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression
a particle having approximately the mass of a proton but having no charge and so designated as a neutron — W.V.Houston
the four parts were designated A, B, C, and D in the diagram
b. : to declare to be : characterize
areas designated as strategic
3. : to name especially to a post or function
4.
a. : to decide upon : nominate , delegate , appoint ; especially : to assign officially by executive or military authority
the operating agency last designated by the president
the tanks had been designated to exploit a breakthrough of the enemy's defenses — R.D.Gardner
b. : to induct in a rank or position
the supreme council is designated as the highest organ of state power
the duke had been designated as king of a puppet state
c. : to choose and set apart (as by public will or in the process of government administration)
a successful designating petition places the name of the candidate on the primary ballot — Book of Civic Definitions
control dams designated for construction
finally Queen Victoria was asked to designate a site — B.K.Sandwell
5. : to serve as a name of : stand for : denote
associate … the names with the persons they designate — Weldon Kees
names are now given bacteria as a sort of shorthand to designate a whole series of complicated reactions — Justina Hill
6. logic : to refer to (an abstract or a concrete entity) — used of a sign, word, or linguistic expression
Synonyms:
name , nominate , elect , appoint : designate may apply to choosing or detailing a person or group for a certain post by a person or group having power or right to choose
the following deputies were designated by the three ministers to carry on the council's work — Americana Annual
the vice-chairman is elected from among the commissioners, and the president designates the chairman — Current Biography
name differs little from designate except that it may more strongly imply public announcement and less strongly suggest official action
the president-elect has not yet named his secretary of state
named to the position of general manager
a council of the realm to advise him and to name his successor in the event of his death — Current Biography
nominate today often indicates presentation of a candidate for the approval of or rejection by those who make final decisions
the parties nominate their presidential candidates during the summer
President Truman nominated him for promotion to full admiral, an advancement confirmed by the Senate — Current Biography
elect may apply to definitive selection by a qualified group from among persons nominated or offering themselves as candidates
elected by a large majority of the voters
elected to membership in a general meeting of the club
appoint indicates selection without election by a qualified person or group, with or without confirmation by another instrumentality
the president appoints postal officials
by constitutional provision the chief executive appoints, not independently (except in a few instances as indicated above), but “by and with the advice and consent of the senate”; to speak with complete accuracy, he nominates, the Senate confirms (by a majority vote of the members present), and he thereupon appoints — F.A.Ogg & P.O.Ray