decentralised
|de-central-ised|
/diːˈsɛntrəlaɪz/
(decentralise)
power/functions spread away from the centre
Etymology
'decentralised' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'de-' + 'centralise' (itself from 'central' + verb-forming suffix). 'Central' ultimately comes from Latin 'centrum' and Greek 'kentron' meaning 'center'.
'decentralise' was created in English by analogy with 'centralise' / 'centralize' (from French 'centraliser' and Medieval Latin influences). The verb 'centralise/centralize' developed from adjective 'central' (from Latin 'centrum'), and adding the prefix 'de-' produced 'decentralise', later giving the past participle 'decentralised'.
Initially, formation signalled the action 'to remove or reduce central control,' and over time it has come to mean broadly 'to distribute powers/functions away from a central point' in political, administrative, and technical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'decentralise' (to distribute authority, functions, or operations away from a central authority).
Many services were decentralised to local councils last year.
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Adjective 1
not controlled by a single central authority; having functions, powers, or decision-making distributed away from a central point.
The organisation adopted a decentralised model so regional offices could make faster decisions.
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Last updated: 2025/11/27 22:14