allocate

UK: /ˈæləkeɪt/ US: /ˈæləˌkeɪt/ ,(al′ə kāt′)

Inflections of 'allocate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

allocates

v 3rd person singular

allocating

v pres p

allocated

v past

allocated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

al•lo•cate /ˈæləˌkeɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to set apart for a particular purpose; assign:
   to allocate space.
   [~ + object + for + object]
   They allocated the money for purchasing computers.
   [~ + object + object]
   They allocated him a small room.

al•lo•ca•tion /ˌæləˈkeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable* countable] See -loc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

al•lo•cate  (al′ə kāt′), v.t., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to set apart for a particular purpose;
   assign or allot:
   to allocate funds for new projects.
2. to fix the place of;
   locate.

• Medieval Latin allocātus (past participle of allocāre), equivalent. to al- al- + loc(us) place + -ātus -ate¹
• 1630–40

al′lo•ca′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See assign. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

allocate / ˈæləˌkeɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to assign or allot for a particular purpose
2. a less common word for locate2

Etymology: 17th Century: from Medieval Latin allocāre, from Latin locāre to place, from locus a place

ˈalloˌcatable adjective