Today's Word

Relegate

REL-uh-gayt

Definition

(verb) To assign to a lower position, rank, or status; demote.
To delegate or transfer a task or responsibility to someone else.
To exile or banish.

Example

After repeated mistakes on the project, he was relegated to a support role, far from the leadership position he once held.

Fun Fact

“Relegate” comes from the Latin word relegare, which combines re- (back) and legare (to send or delegate). In ancient Rome, the term was used in a legal sense to describe exiling someone to a remote location without stripping them of citizenship. Over time, the word’s meaning broadened to include any form of downgrading or assigning to a less important position. Today, its usage extends to sports, where teams may be “relegated” to lower divisions after poor performance, maintaining its sense of demotion and exclusion.