verb / adjective

designate

DEZ-ig-nayt/ˈdezɪɡneɪt/

To officially select or identify for a particular role.

The supervisor designates one parking bay for wheelchair-accessible use.

A facilities supervisor directs a worker to mark one parking bay for wheelchair-accessible use, visibly assigning that space a particular official purpose.

Etymology

deLatinout

+signLatinto mark

+ateLatinpast-participle ending

To “mark out” people or things can mean to single them out. That sense underlies officially choosing a person for a role or naming something for a particular purpose.

In context

Town of Amherst, MA109:24

that we can do a finding of fact and given you know the dep regulations on designation of perennial versus or intermittent there are other avenues you can follow to designate a stream um

Conservation Commission Meeting Oct 27, 2021

More examples

The city designated this land as a wildlife refuge.
You must designate a beneficiary for your retirement account.
The ambassador-designate prepares to take office next month.

Forms

designate · designates · designated · designating

designation noun — Official selection for a role or purpose.

Similar words

appoint: Emphasizes officially placing someone in a job or office.
nominate: Proposes someone for a role, often before final approval.
select: Means choosing among options without necessarily making an official assignment.