What is the Latin word for designate?

The usual Latin words for “designate” are notō, signō, dēsignō; also nōminō, appellō, vocō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“designate” in Latin

notōto mark, make a mark; to write, especially in shorthand; to write remarks or notes signōto mark, sign; to seal, stamp; to statue dēsignōto mark; to trace out; to outline, describe nōminōto name, give a name to, call by name; to make famous; to nominate for office appellōto drive or move to; to land or put ashore vocōto call, summon, beckon (with one's voice); to name, designate; to bring or put (into a state or condition)dīcōto say, talk, speak, utter, mention; to declare, state; to tell indōto put, set or place into or upon; insert, instill, introduce; to introduce; to impart or give to, apply to, impose on, impōnōto place, lay, set, or put on, in, into, over, or upon; to impose upon, put upon, lay upon, inflict upon, fix, put, enjo

The English word designate itself goes back to Latin signum, through dēsignātus.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

designate

notare: denbtare: signare: designare (general terms, to make distinguishable by a mark): nominare. appellare: vocare: dicere [SYN. in CALL = NAME]: ☞ vocare mostly with a substantive, dicere with an adjective: nomen alicui dare, indere or imponere (give it a name): designare aliquid verbis (Cic., to describe): designare is also used alone in the sense of “denote;” verba quae res communes designant (Varr.). To designate everything by a name of its own, suo quamque rem nomine appellare.

Point out to or for (any purpose, situation, etc.), destinare aliquem (or aliquid) ad aliquid or alicui rei: designare (e.g., mark out, fix upon, locum sepulcro; also absolutely, quem populus designaverit).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for designate?: The usual Latin words for “designate” are notō, signō, dēsignō; also nōminō, appellō, vocō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.