allocate

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈæl.əˌkeɪt/ UK /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #42238

Meanings

1

verb
To give out or set aside money, time, or resources for a particular purpose.

The council allocated extra funds for new school buildings.
2

verb
To reserve part of a computer's memory for a program to use.

The system automatically allocates memory to each running process.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give out or set aside... apportion assign earmark

Word family

Forms allocatedallocatesallocating

Derived forms allocableallocatableallocateeallocativeallocatormisallocateoverallocatepreallocatereallocatesuballocateunderallocate

Related forms allocable allocation lieu locate

Etymology

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.”).

allocate Middle English allocātum la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# allocate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈæl.əˌkeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 42238

## Meanings
1. To give out or set aside money, time, or resources for a particular purpose.
2. To reserve part of a computer's memory for a program to use.

## Examples
- The council allocated extra funds for new school buildings.
- The system automatically allocates memory to each running process.

## Derived Forms
- allocable
- allocatable
- allocatee
- allocative
- allocator
- misallocate
- overallocate
- preallocate
- reallocate
- suballocate
- underallocate

## Related Forms
- allocable
- allocation
- lieu
- locate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: allocate
- Root: allocātum

## Etymology
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.”).

## AI Etymology
Allocate is 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.”). Important recorded forms include allocate (Middle English) and allocātum (la-med). Current senses include to give out or set aside money, time, or resources for a particular purpose and to reserve part of a computer's memory for a program to use. The wider family includes derived forms such as allocable, allocatable, allocatee, allocative, and allocator and related words such as allocable, allocation, lieu, and locate.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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