legate(redirected from LEGAT)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia.
n. Abbr. leg.
An official emissary, especially an official representative of the pope.
[Middle English, from Old French legat, from Medieval Latin lēgātus, from Latin, past participle of lēgāre, to depute; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a messenger, envoy, or delegate
2. (Roman Catholic Church) RC Church an emissary to a foreign state representing the Pope
[Old English, via Old French from Latin lēgātus deputy, from lēgāre to delegate; related to lēx law]
1. an ecclesiastic delegated by the pope as his representative.
2. (in ancient Rome)
a. an assistant to a general or to the governor of a province.
b. a provincial governor appointed by the emperor.
3. an envoy or emissary.
[1125–75; Middle English legat < Latin lēgātus, n. use of masculine past participle of lēgāre to send as a legate, commission, bequeath, derivative of lēx law]
Switch to new thesaurus
|Noun||1.||legate - a member of a legation|