decentralized

[ dee-sen-truh-lahyzd ]

adjective

1. (of a central authority) having much of the decision-making power vested in teams, divisions, or local branches instead of in a single center of power:

   They implemented a decentralized scheme for the business, dividing it into four geographic areas managed by local staff.

   A system of decentralized government empowered communities at the grassroots level and gave them a say in how they were governed.

2. happening or carried out locally and usually independently:

   Decentralized wastewater treatment puts the treatment system at or near the school, industrial site, etc., that generates the wastewater.

3. dispersed from a core area; spread out:

   It is challenging for our state to provide public services and infrastructure to an ever-growing and decentralized population base.

4. (of currency) not controlled or distributed by a government, bank, or other third party, as bitcoin and some other digital currencies:

   While decentralized currencies are hurting in a bearish month, the prospects for state-issued virtual money look even dimmer.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of decentralize.

Word History and Origins

Origin of decentralized¹

First recorded in 1830–40; decentralize + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; decentralize ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

This model of decentralized mobilization can be adapted to any cause, empowering communities to act swiftly and effectively.

From Salon

The key difference between Bluesky and most other social media platforms is that it is decentralized, meaning it is operated on independent servers and not those owned by the company.

From BBC

“If you have a decentralized network, then it’s a lot more stable. And they haven’t been considering that in the ways in which they should.”

From Los Angeles Times

Despite bursts of virality and media coverage, the movement is still far from mainstream, and given its decentralized online existence, there is no concrete data on how many South Korean women actively identify as “4B.”

From Los Angeles Times

Investors who provide liquidity for tokens on decentralized exchanges could donate the trading fees they accrue.

From Salon

Related Words

• disperse
• distribute
• scatter