surrogate

[ noun adjective sur-uh-geyt, -git, suhr-; verb sur-uh-geyt, suhr- ]

noun

1. a person appointed to act for another; deputy.
2. (in some states) a judicial officer having jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the administration of estates, etc.
3. the deputy of an ecclesiastical judge, especially of a bishop or a bishop's chancellor.
4. a substitute.
5. a surrogate mother.
6. Politics. someone who acts on behalf of a politician or political candidate by making public appearances, issuing statements, etc., when that person is engaged elsewhere or when that person’s image would be bolstered by certain affiliations:

   His camp won the “prestige of science” battle by signing on high-profile physicists, chemists, and biologists as campaign surrogates.

adjective

1. regarded or acting as a surrogate:

   a surrogate father.

2. involving or indicating the use of a surrogate mother to conceive or carry an embryo:

   surrogate parenting.

verb (used with object)

, sur·ro·gat·ed, sur·ro·gat·ing.

1. to put into the place of another as a successor, substitute, or deputy; substitute for another.
2. to subrogate.

surrogate

noun

1. a person or thing acting as a substitute
2. a deputy, such as a clergyman appointed to deputize for a bishop in granting marriage licences
3. psychiatry a person who is a substitute for someone else, esp in childhood when different persons, such as a brother or teacher, can act as substitutes for the parents
4. (in some US states) a judge with jurisdiction over the probate of wills, etc
5. modifier of, relating to, or acting as a surrogate

   a surrogate pleasure

verb

1. to put in another's position as a deputy, substitute, etc
2. to appoint as a successor to oneself

Derived Forms

• ˌsurroˈgation, noun
• ˈsurrogateship, noun

Other Words From

• surro·gate·ship noun
• surro·gation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrogate¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin surrogātus, variant of subrogātus “nominated as a substitiute”; subrogate

Word History and Origins

Origin of surrogate¹

C17: from Latin surrogāre to substitute; see subrogate

Example Sentences

Tesla: CEO Elon Musk’s role as campaign surrogate and likely government adviser gave his biggest company a fiery boost from investors, and his already sky-high net worth ballooned as a result.

From Slate

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, was once a challenger to and critic of Trump, but has become a staunch defender and campaign surrogate.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m proud to be a top surrogate,” Stefanik said earlier this year of her support for the president-elect.

From BBC

This wasn’t lost on Trump surrogate Elon Musk who was literally out there bribing potential Trump voters with million-dollar oversized novelty checks.

From Slate

As for ethical concerns, Georgie said, surrogacy "felt like the last step" in their IVF journey using "Ben's sperm, a donor egg and a surrogate carrier".

From BBC

Related Words

• proxy
• stand-in