See also: Legate and lëgatë

English edit

Etymology edit

From late Old English, from Old French legat, from Latin legatus (nominal use of perfect passive participle of lego (bequeath, send as envoy)).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

legate (plural legates)

  1. A deputy representing the pope, specifically a papal ambassador sent on special ecclesiastical missions.
  2. An ambassador or messenger.
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. [] The First Part [], 2nd edition, part 1, London: [] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, [], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene i:
      Moſt great and puiſant Monarke of the earth,
      Your Baſſoe wil accompliſh your beheſt:
      And ſhew your pleaſure to the Perſean,
      As fits the Legate of the ſtately Turke.
    • 1965, John Fowles, The Magus:
      The dark figure on the raised white terrace; legate of the sun facing the sun; the most ancient royal power.
  3. The deputy of a provincial governor or general in ancient Rome.
    • 1911, Rudyard Kipling, “The Roman Centurion’s Song”, in The History of England:
      Legate, I had the news last night—my cohort ordered home
      By ships to Portus Itius and thence by road to Rome.

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Verb edit

legate (third-person singular simple present legates, present participle legating, simple past and past participle legated)

  1. (transitive) To leave as a legacy.

Anagrams edit

Esperanto edit

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

legate

  1. present adverbial passive participle of legi

Italian edit

Etymology 1 edit

Adjective edit

legate

  1. feminine plural of legato

Participle edit

legate f pl

  1. feminine plural of legato

Etymology 2 edit

Noun edit

legate f pl

  1. plural of legata

Etymology 3 edit

Verb edit

legate

  1. inflection of legare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Anagrams edit

Latin edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

lēgāte

  1. vocative singular of lēgātus

Participle edit

lēgāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of lēgātus

Spanish edit

Verb edit

legate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of legar combined with te