designation

noun

des·​ig·​na·​tion ˌde-zig-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of indicating or identifying

the designation of a speech sound

2

: appointment to or selection for an office, post, or service

awaiting his next designation

3

: a distinguishing name, sign, or title

… the only star in Lynx with a Greek letter designation

—Richard Berry

approved the area's designation as a wildlife refuge

4

: the relation between a sign and the thing signified

Synonyms of designation

• moniker
• name
• title
• nomenclature
• nickname
• appellation

Examples of designation in a Sentence

Though many people call her a liberal, it is not a designation she uses herself.

we've never given the homemade gadget a proper designation

Recent Examples on the Web

The house is a private residence now, but features a blue historical designation in his honor. —Gaby Iori march 3, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026

The designation means any contractor that works with the Pentagon may not do business with Anthropic. —Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026

Veteran point guard Rori Harmon earned a second-team designation and also was one of five members of the SEC's all-defensive team. —Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026

Anthropic said the designation, which would force the Pentagon and contractors to stop using Anthropic’s services for defense purposes, has never before been publicly applied to an American company. —Kevin Collier, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see designate entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing designation

• self-designation

Rhymes for designation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

designation

noun

des·​ig·​na·​tion ˌdez-ig-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of indicating or identifying

2

: appointment to or selection for an office, post, or service

3

: a name, sign, or title that identifies something