ASSIGNATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does assignation mean? 

• ASSIGNATION (noun)
  The noun ASSIGNATION has 2 senses:

1. a secret rendezvous (especially between lovers)

2. the act of distributing by allotting or apportioning; distribution according to a plan

  Familiarity information: ASSIGNATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ASSIGNATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A secret rendezvous (especially between lovers)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

assignation; tryst

Hypernyms ("assignation" is a kind of...):

rendezvous (a meeting planned at a certain time and place)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of distributing by allotting or apportioning; distribution according to a plan

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

allocation; allotment; apportioning; apportionment; assignation; parceling; parcelling

Context example:

the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives is based on the relative population of each state

Hypernyms ("assignation" is a kind of...):

distribution (the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "assignation"):

grant; subsidisation; subsidization (the act of providing a subsidy)

reallocation; reallotment; reapportionment (a new apportionment (especially a new apportionment of congressional seats in the United States on the basis of census results))

deal (the act of apportioning or distributing something)

rationing (the act of rationing)

parcel; portion; share (the allotment of some amount by dividing something)

Derivation:

assign (give out)

 Context examples 

Well, my dear fellow, we have already arrived at the conclusion that the message received by Garcia at dinner was an appointment or an assignation.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The test is administered at one and five minutes after birth and allows for the assignation of numerical values between zero and two for specific observations regarding skin color, pulse rate, reflex irritability, muscle tone and breathing.

(Apgar Test, NCI Thesaurus)

‘Our own colours, green and white.’ Sounds like racing. ‘Green open, white shut.’ That is clearly a signal. ‘Main stair, first corridor, seventh right, green baize.’ This is an assignation.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)