allocate
AI In plain words
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
allocate¹
- /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ UK
- /ˈæl.əˌkeɪt/ Canada, US
- /ˈæl.oʊˌkeɪt/ Canada, US
- /ˈæl.ə.kæɪt/ Australia
- /ˈɛl.ə.kæɪt/ New Zealand
Where it comes from
From Latin allocātus, perfect passive participle of Latin allocō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ad- (“to”) + locō. Doublet of allow. By surface analysis, al- + locate.
verb allocates · allocating · allocated
- To set aside for a purpose. Please do not eat the meringue, as it is allocated for the dinner party tomorrow.
- To distribute according to a plan, generally followed by the adposition to. The bulk of K–12 education funds are allocated to school districts that in turn pay for the cost of operating schools.
- To reserve a portion of memory for use by a computer program. The memory manager allocates memory to requesting processes until there is no more memory available or until there are no more processes waiting for memory.
allocate²
Where it comes from
From Middle English allocat(e) (“allocated”), originally used as the past participle of allocate, from Latin allocātus, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
adjective
- allocated
allocate³
Where it comes from
From Middle English allocate (the common first word of writs authorizing payment), from Medieval Latin allocātum, substantivized from the nominative neuter singular of allocātus, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Alternatively, from allocāte, the second-person plural imperative of allocō, compare English liberate (“a warrant for the payment of a pension, allowance, debt, etc.”).
noun allocates
- A writ authorizing payment, allowance, grant.
