Involves

Word

Legate

LEG-ut · noun

An official representative sent to act for someone with greater authority.

Examples

  • The ruler sent a legate with instructions to negotiate a settlement.

  • As the institution's legate, she could speak for it but could not rewrite its charter.

Origin

The word comes through French from Latin legatus, a deputy or emissary. Roman usage included representatives exercising delegated civil or military authority.

How it connects

A legate carries another person's authority into a situation that person cannot directly see.

This word appeared in Authority at a distance, the Involves connection for October 26, 2026, which asked: How much judgment should a representative be allowed to exercise?

Check yourself

Who is acting as a legate?

An envoy authorized to represent a ruler. Exactly. A legate acts as an official representative; inheritance is a different relationship.

What the sources establish

  • Legate derives from Latin legatus, deputy or emissary, and denotes an official representative.

Sources