May 21, 2012
- designate (verb)
- What does it mean?
- 1 : to appoint or choose by name for a special purpose2 : to mark or point out : indicate3 : to call by name or title
- How do you use it?
- For Field Day, each section of the field was designated to match the event taking place there, and I chose "Water World," with squirt guns and water balloons, first.
- Are you a word wiz?
"Designate" traces back to the Latin word "designare," which in turn comes from the prefix "de-" and "signare," meaning "to mark." Which of the following words do you think also traces back to "signare"?Congratulations if you designated B as your answer! Like "designate," the word "signature" (which usually refers to the name of a person written by that person) traces back to the Latin word "signare," meaning "to mark." Did you recognize the word "sign" in both "designate" and "signature," as well as in their Latin root? Some other words from "signare" also contain "sign." They are "assign," "design," "resign," and, of course, the word "sign" itself.