n. 1. A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy or agent. 2. A representative to a conference or convention. 3. A member of a House of Delegates, the lower house of the Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia legislature. 4. An elected or appointed representative of a US territory in the House of Representatives who is entitled to speak but not vote. tr.v. (-gāt′) del·e·gat·ed, del·e·gat·ing, del·e·gates 1. To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative. 2. To commit or entrust to another: delegate a task to a subordinate. [Middle English delegat, from Medieval Latin dēlēgātus, from past participle of dēlēgāre, to dispatch : Latin dē-, de- + Latin lēgāre, to send; see leg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] dele·ga′tor n. |
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