surrogate

1 of 2

noun

sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-gət How to pronounce surrogate (audio)
ˈsə-rə-,
-ˌgāt How to pronounce surrogate (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: one appointed to act in place of another : deputy
b
: a local judicial officer in some states (such as New York) who has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the settlement of estates, and the appointment and supervision of guardians
2
3
: one that serves as a substitute

surrogate

2 of 2

verb

sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce surrogate (audio)
ˈsə-rə-
surrogated; surrogating

transitive verb

: to put in the place of another:
a
: to appoint as successor, deputy, or substitute for oneself

Examples of surrogate in a Sentence

Noun He could not attend the meeting, so he sent his surrogate. The governor and her surrogates asked the public to support the change. They had their baby through a surrogate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Before now, Moreno had campaigned with surrogates of the former president, including Donald Trump Jr. and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 The little girl joined brother Phoenix Barron, whom the socialite and her husband Carter Reum welcomed via a surrogate in January 2023. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 The couple found a surrogate to carry their child, with the embryo transfer scheduled for March 21. Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 That’s where the astronaut’s alien surrogate shrink comes in. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024 The president and his surrogates, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom, held multiple fundraisers for the campaign in California last year. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Make sure your surrogate knows how to get into your phone as that has become the key method for access to many accounts. Carolyn McClanahan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 But Biden's top surrogate in Michigan − Gov. Gretchen Whitmer − characterized anything other than a vote for Biden Tuesday as a boost for Trump's campaign. Detroit Free Press, 28 Feb. 2024 Both men have appeared regularly at Mr. Trump’s South Carolina rallies, with Mr. Scott, a former rival for the G.O.P. nomination, emerging as a key surrogate and a potential running mate. Michael Gold, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surrogate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare to choose in place of another, substitute, from sub- + rogare to ask — more at right

First Known Use

Noun

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surrogate was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near surrogate

Cite this Entry

“Surrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surrogate. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

surrogate

noun
sur·​ro·​gate
ˈsər-ə-ˌgāt,
ˈsə-rə-,
-gət
1
: one appointed to act in place of another : deputy
2
: a court officer in some states who handles the settling of wills

Medical Definition

surrogate

noun
sur·​ro·​gate -gət, -ˌgāt How to pronounce surrogate (audio)
: one that serves as a substitute: as
a
: a representation of a person substituted through symbolizing (as in a dream) for conscious recognition of the person
b
: a drug substituted for another drug

Legal Definition

surrogate

noun
sur·​ro·​gate ˈsər-ə-gət How to pronounce surrogate (audio)
1
: one acting in the place of another
especially : one standing in loco parentis to a child
2
often capitalized : the judge or judicial officer of a Surrogate's Court or Surrogate's office
surrogate adjective
Etymology

Noun

Latin surrogatus, past participle of surrogare subrogare to substitute, from sub- in place of, under + rogare to ask

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!