legate
/ˈlɛɡɪt/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms legates legating legated
- noun A deputy representing the pope, specifically a papal ambassador sent on special ecclesiastical missions.
- noun An ambassador or messenger.
- noun The deputy of a provincial governor or general in ancient Rome.
- verb (transitive) To leave as a legacy.
- noun (obsolete) A legacy or bequest.
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
Etymology
Inherited from Old English legat(e), from Old French legat, from Latin lēgātus, substantivized from the perfect passive participle of lēgō (“to bequeath, send as envoy”).
Borrowed from Latin lēgātus, perfect passive participle of lēgō (“to bequeath, leave as legacy, legate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Borrowed from Latin lēgātum (“a legacy”), substantivized from the neuter forms of the perfect passive participle of lēgō (“to bequeath, leave as legacy, legate”). Doublet of legacy.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An ambassador or envoy.
- noun An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.
Etymology [OE. legal, L. legatus, fr. legare to sent with a commission or charge, to depute, fr. lex, legis, law: cf. F. légat, It. legato. See Legal.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “legate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details