tr.v., -nat·ed, -nat·ing, -nates.

1. To indicate or specify; point out.
2. To give a name or title to; characterize.
3. To select and set aside for a duty, an office, or a purpose. See synonyms at allocate, appoint.

adj. (-nĭt)

Appointed but not yet installed in office: the commissioner designate.

[Latin dēsignāre, dēsignāt- : dē-, de- + signāre, to mark (from signum, sign).]

designative des'ig·na'tive or des'ig·na·to'ry (-nə-tôr'ē) adj.
designator des'ig·na'tor n.

verb

1. To make known or identify, as by signs: denote, indicate, mark, point out, show, specify. See show/hide.
2. To set aside or apart for a specified purpose: allocate, appropriate, assign, earmark. See collect/distribute, money.
3. To give a name or title to: baptize, call, christen, denominate, dub, entitle, name, style, term, title. See specific/general, words.
4. To describe with a word or term: call, characterize, label, name, style, tag, term. See specific/general, words.
5. To select for an office or position: appoint, make, name, nominate, tap. See choice.

To refer to or denote.

IN BRIEF: To select or appoint, as by authority.

What is originality? To see something that is as yet without a name, that is as yet impossible to designate, even though it stares us in the face. — Friedrich Nietzsche.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - udnævne, bestemme, specificere, titulere, betegne
adj. - kommende

Nederlands (Dutch)
bestempelen, noemen, aanstellen, aanwijzen, benoemd, maar nog niet in functie

Français (French)
v. tr. - désigner
adj. - en titre, désigné

Deutsch (German)
v. - designieren, bezeichnen, angeben
adj. - designiert

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - χαρακτηρίζω, προορίζω, προαλείφω, διορίζω, προσδιορίζω, αναδεικνύω (υποψήφιο)
adj. - εκλεγείς, αναδειχθείς/προκριθείς (αξιωματούχος)

Italiano (Italian)
nominare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - designar
adj. - designado

Русский (Russian)
назначать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - denominar, nombrar, designar, denotar, llamar
adj. - designado

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - beteckna, bestämma, utse
adj. - utnämnd

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
指明, 任命, 指出, 指定的, 选定的

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 指明, 任命, 指出
adj. - 指定的, 選定的

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 지적하다, 임명하다, ~라고 칭하다
adj. - 지명을 받은

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 示す, 表す, 指名する, 指定する, 呼ぶ, 指示する
adj. - 指名を受けた, 指名された

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يشير الى شئ بوضوح, يظهر بوضوح, يعين أو يختار شخص أو شئ لمنصب أو مهمه (صفه) مختار لمنصب ولكن لم يباشره رسميا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮ייעד, בחר, מינה, סימן, ציין‬
adj. - ‮מיועד למשרה‬

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