Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Delegate has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
a person appointed or elected to represent others
"The delegates arrived at the convention to voice their constituents' concerns."
a person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy
"The committee elected her as their delegate to vote on behalf of the entire district at the national convention."
In plain English: A delegate is an official representative who speaks for and acts on behalf of a larger group.
"The committee delegate made an important statement during the meeting."
Usage: Use the noun form when referring to an official representative sent by a group, such as a conference attendee or committee member. Avoid confusing this role with a general subordinate, as delegates specifically carry authority from their appointing body to act on its behalf in another location.
to authorize someone to be a delegate
"The party convention authorized five members to serve as delegates to represent their districts at the national meeting."
In plain English: To delegate means to give someone else the job of doing something for you so that you don't have to do it yourself.
"The manager decided to delegate the task to her assistant."
The word "delegate" comes from the Latin verb dēlēgō, which means "to send" or "assign." It entered English through Old French and Middle English as a noun derived from the past participle of that original root.