What does deputize mean?
"Deputize" is a verb that means to formally appoint someone to act as one's substitute, granting them the authority to carry out specific duties in one's place. It has two main uses: transitively, as when a sheriff deputizes a citizen or an executive deputizes a colleague to sign documents, and intransitively, as when an employee deputizes for an absent manager. The word derives from "deputy," which traces back through French to the Latin deputare, meaning to consider, allot, or assign. In legal contexts, deputization can confer real official power, which lends the term a serious, formal tone; yet it is equally at home in ordinary workplace and sporting situations where someone merely fills in temporarily. Its flexibility across registers makes it a valuable word for describing delegated authority at every level of formality.
verbTo appoint someone to act as a deputy or official substitute, especially to perform duties on one's behalf; also (intransitive) to serve as such a substitute.
- To appoint someone as a deputy or authorized substitute to act on one's behalf.
- (Intransitive) To act as a deputy or temporary replacement for someone.
"When the sheriff fell ill, the officer was deputized to handle the investigation."
"The mayor deputized a senior councilor to chair the emergency meeting."
"With the regular goalkeeper injured, the coach asked a defender to deputize between the posts."
In the Old West, sheriffs could deputize an ordinary citizen on the spot — handing a stranger legal police powers with nothing more than a badge and a word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of deputize
"Deputize" was formed in the 19th century from the noun "deputy," which entered English in the Middle Ages via Old French from Latin "deputatus," the past participle of "deputare" (to allot, assign, or esteem). The suffix "-ize," ultimately from Greek, turned the noun into a verb meaning to make or appoint someone a deputy. Related English words sharing the Latin root include "depute," "deputation," and, more distantly, "compute" and "dispute."
Related word forms
How deputize is actually used
Common in both American and British English; in law-enforcement contexts it often carries formal, even legal weight (a sworn deputization), while in everyday British usage "deputize for someone" simply means to fill in temporarily at work. The transitive sense takes the appointee as its object; the intransitive sense is typically followed by "for" plus the person being replaced.
Easily confused with deputize
"Deputy" is the noun for the person who substitutes, while "deputize" is the verb meaning to appoint someone as that substitute.