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

• appellation
• appellative
• cognomen
• compellation
• denomination
• denotation
• handle
• moniker
• monicker
• name
• nomenclature
• title

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

And doing so may be difficult for the administration, say legal experts, as so far there is no clear evidence that Harvard has violated federal law that would warrant the removal of its nonprofit designation. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025

The first restaurant to earn the two-star designation was Miami’s L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in 2022. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025

The designation enabled the U.S. to bar financial transactions with the gang, freeze its assets in the U.S., and sanction some of its individual members. —Danielle MacKey, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025

The tax agency's move to consider whether to strip Harvard of its designation as a 501(c)(3) organization was earlier reported by CNN. —Alain Sherter, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2025

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