Depute and dispute are two words that are pronounced and spelled in a similar fashion, but have different meanings. We will examine the definitions of depute and dispute, where these two words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
Depute means to appoint someone to be in charge of something, to instruct someone to be responsible for something, to appoint someone as your agent to act in your behalf. In Scotland, a depute is someone who is appointed to act as a representative of another official, or someone who is appointed in an official capacity. Depute may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are deputes, deputed, debuting, deputation. The word depute is derived from the Latin word deputare, which means to assign or allot.
Dispute means to disagree on something, to argue about something or to compete. Dispute may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are disputes, disputed, disputing. The word dispute is derived from the Latin word disputare, which means to argue, discuss or examine.
Examples
TWO of the four candidates in the SNP’s depute leadership contest called for action to stop a Spanish bid to extradite the St Andrews academic and former Catalan minister Clara Ponsati. (The National)
He instructed all agencies to depute the required staff in all grain markets district at the earliest. He also asked the SDMs that names and mobile numbers of auction recorders, agency inspectors and heads of complaint cells should be displayed in all the grain markets prominently. (The Tribune India)
Singapore on Wednesday invited Human Rights Watch to give evidence at a parliamentary hearing on “fake news” as a dispute grew between the New York-based group and the city state. (Reuters)
Some 20 families moved into a pair of disputed properties in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron on Monday night, claiming to have both legally purchased the buildings and to have received permission from defense officials to enter them. (The Times of Israel)