surrogate

1 of 2

noun

sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-gət 

ˈsə-rə-, 

-ˌgāt 

often attributive

1

a

: one appointed to act in place of another : deputy

b

: a local judicial officer in some states (such as New York) who has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the settlement of estates, and the appointment and supervision of guardians

2

: surrogate mother

3

: one that serves as a substitute

surrogate

2 of 2

verb

sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt 

ˈsə-rə-

surrogated; surrogating

transitive verb

: to put in the place of another:

a

: to appoint as successor, deputy, or substitute for oneself

b

: substitute

Examples of surrogate in a Sentence

Noun

He could not attend the meeting, so he sent his surrogate.

The governor and her surrogates asked the public to support the change.

They had their baby through a surrogate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

When clients or surrogates travel to California for important medical milestones, Tang and Sonnenberg are often there themselves—arranging schedules, accompanying appointments, and ensuring that days defined by medicine retain a sense of humanity. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2026

What the audience needs is a surrogate, which the movie delivers in the form of Dam Plumb (Licorice Pizza‘s Skyler Gisondo). — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026

McKenna West, the surrogate who gave birth to the baby, had asked the court to suspend a California ruling that gave parental authority of the newborn boy solely to his genetic parents. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

The gestational surrogate who carried the child of the 40-year-old singer and 42-year-old entrepreneur gave birth in Los Angeles this summer, but the news didn’t surface until Page Six broke the news this month. — Marzia Nicolini, Vanity Fair, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare to choose in place of another, substitute, from sub- + rogare to ask — more at right

First Known Use

Noun

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing surrogate

• surrogate mother

Kids Definition

surrogate

noun

sur·​ro·​gate

ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt, 

ˈsə-rə-, 

-gət

1

: one appointed to act in place of another : deputy

2

: a court officer in some states who handles the settling of wills

Medical Definition

surrogate

noun

sur·​ro·​gate -gət, -ˌgāt 

: one that serves as a substitute: as

a

: a representation of a person substituted through symbolizing (as in a dream) for conscious recognition of the person

b

: a drug substituted for another drug

c

: surrogate mother

Legal Definition

surrogate

noun

sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-gət 

1

: one acting in the place of another

especially : one standing in loco parentis to a child

2

often capitalized : the judge or judicial officer of a Surrogate's Court or Surrogate's office

surrogate adjective

Etymology

Noun

Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare, subrogare to substitute, from sub- in place of, under + rogare to ask