désigner

Désigner is a French verb that means to designate, appoint, name, or indicate. It can refer to pointing out someone or something with a gesture, naming a person for a role, identifying a person in a discussion, or defining a term, symbol, or reference in language and science. In legal or administrative contexts, désigner is often used to specify who holds a position or who is responsible for a task. The nuance with nommer is that désigner emphasizes identifying or pointing out rather than formal appointment, though the two terms overlap.

Etymology and range of meaning: Désigner comes from Old French designer, from Latin designare meaning to mark out or designate. The modern French form continued the sense of marking or naming, and the word has cognates in other Romance languages as well as the English design.

Usage and grammar: Désigner is a transitive verb and is conjugated as a regular -er verb. Present indicative forms include je désigne, tu désignes, il désigne, nous désignons, vous désignez, ils désignent. The passé composé is formé with avoir: j'ai désigné. The future is je désignerai. Reflexive use, such as se désigner, is rare and typically means to designate oneself for a role or to present oneself as a candidate.

Examples: Le jury a désigné le gagnant. Il a été désigné comme témoin. Dans un contexte mathématique, ce terme désigne la variable x. In politics or administration, on peut désigner un remplaçant pour le poste vacant.

Notes: Désigner is widely used across contexts—administrative, linguistic, mathematical—often focusing on the act of marking, pointing out, or naming rather than formal appointment.