Designated

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈdɛzɪɡneɪtɪd/

Definitions

1. Assigned for a particular role or function in an official capacity
2. Officially set apart for a specific task or designation with intent
3. Chosen or named to fulfill a particular function or duty in an authorized way

Etymology: Latin "designare" combined "de-", meaning "out" or "down," with "signare," "to mark," from "signum," a sign. Its original sense was physical: to mark out a boundary or outline a plan on the ground. The idea of selecting someone for a job grew out of that act of marking something off for a purpose. In English, the adjective describes a person or thing already singled out for an official role, as in a designated representative. The older sense of marking out survives mainly in the verb's meaning of pointing out or specifying. Baseball's designated hitter, who bats in place of the pitcher, extends the same idea of assigning a role by naming it in advance.

Synonyms: appointed, nominated, selected

Antonyms: unappointed