designational
|de-si-gna-tion-al|
/ˌdɛzɪɡˈneɪʃənəl/
relating to designation or reference
Etymology
'designational' originates from Latin and Old French via English 'designation' plus the adjectival suffix '-al', ultimately from Latin 'designare' meaning 'to mark out, appoint'.
'designational' developed from the noun 'designation' (Middle English/Old French), which itself comes from Latin 'designare' ('de-' + 'signare'), and the modern English adjective was formed by adding the suffix '-al' to indicate relation to designation.
Initially related to the act of marking or appointing ('to mark out, appoint'), the term evolved to mean more generally 'relating to designation' and, in technical contexts, 'relating to reference or denotation'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to designation; concerned with the act of designating or naming something.
They discussed the designational criteria used to name the species.
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Adjective 2
in linguistics or philosophy, referring to reference or denotation — the way a term points to or designates an object or concept.
The paper examined the designational aspects of indexicals and definite descriptions.
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Last updated: 2025/12/20 20:13