What does "relegate" mean?
A person who has been banished from proximity to Rome for a set time, but without losing his civil rights.
Relegate
/ˈɹɛlɪˌɡeɪt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who has been banished from proximity to Rome for a set time, but without losing his civil rights.
- Grammar: relegate is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: demote, abased, accredit, assign.
- Useful contrasts: advance, decide, elevates.
- Usage evidence: Don't relegate me to the back office. I want to talk to the customers.
How to use "relegate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "relegate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "relegate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "relegate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "relegate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "relegate" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "demote" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "relegate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who has been banished from proximity to Rome for a set time, but without losing his civil rights. obsolete
Verb
- 1 Exile, banish, remove, or send away.; Exile or banish to a particular place. transitive
- 2 assign to a class or kind wordnet
- 3 Exile, banish, remove, or send away.; Remove (oneself) to a distance from something or somewhere. obsolete, rare, reflexive
- 4 assign to a lower position; reduce in rank wordnet
- 5 Exile, banish, remove, or send away.; Banish from proximity to Rome for a set time; compare relegate. Ancient-Rome, historical, transitive
"Eventually his freedom of speech drove Vespasian to relegate him a second time, and shortly after he was executed […]."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 expel, as if by official decree wordnet
- 7 Exile, banish, remove, or send away.; Remove or send to a place far away. figuratively, transitive
- 8 refer to another person for decision or judgment wordnet
- 9 Consign or assign.; Consign (a person or thing) to a place, position, or role of obscurity, insignificance, oblivion, lower rank or (especially) inferiority. transitive
"Her bright ideas were relegated to "tosh" by her manager."
- 10 Consign or assign.; Assign (a thing) to an appropriate place or situation based on appraisal or classification. transitive
- 11 Consign or assign.; Transfer (a sports team) to a lower-ranking league division. transitive
"After finishing second-bottom in the table, United were relegated from the division."
- 12 Refer or submit.; Refer (a point of contention) to an authority in deference to the judgment thereof. transitive
- 13 Refer or submit.; Submit (something) to someone else for appropriate action thereby; compare delegate. transitive
- 14 Refer or submit.; Submit or refer (someone) to someone or something else for some reason or purpose. archaic, transitive
Adjective
- 1 Relegated; exiled. archaic, not-comparable
Example
"Don't relegate me to the back office. I want to talk to the customers."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "relegate"?
Common synonyms include: demote, abased, accredit, assign, atticize, ban.
How do you use "relegate" in a sentence?
Don't relegate me to the back office. I want to talk to the customers.
How do you pronounce "relegate"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɛlɪˌɡeɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
First attested in 1561, borrowed from Latin relēgātus, the past participle of relēgō (“to dispatch, banish”).
Etymology 2
First attested circa 1550: from the Classical Latin relēgātus (“banished person, exile”), the nominative singular masculine substantive form of relēgātus, the past participle of relēgō (“to dispatch, banish”).
Etymology 3
First attested circa 1425: from the Classical Latin relēgātus, the perfect passive participle of relēgō (“I dispatch”, “I banish”).