delegate

Where does the word "delegate" come from? It comes from Latin legare, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Delegate’s story begins in Latin: legare meant “to send as ambassador, to depute.” To send as ambassador, to depute, combined with de- (away). Within Latin, it grew into delegare by ancient. To send as a deputy, to entrust, from de- and legare. It reached English by 1400s as delegate. Settled as the English word for entrusting a task to someone, or a person sent to represent others. Today, delegate means to entrust a task or responsibility to another person, or a representative sent to act for others.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient legare "to send as ambassador, to depute", to send as ambassador, to depute, combined with de- (away).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient delegare "to send as a deputy, to entrust", to send as a deputy, to entrust, from de- and legare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s delegate "to entrust a task to someone, or a person sent to represent others", settled as the English word for entrusting a task to someone, or a person sent to represent others.