Standard Lemma guide

decentralise

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /diːˈsɛntɹəlaɪz/
  • Canada, General-American: /diˈsɛntɹəˌlaɪz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /diːˈsentɹəlɑez/
  • New-Zealand: /diːˈsentɹəlaɪz/
  • New-Zealand: [diːˈsentɹəlɑe̯z]

1

verb

Meaning 1

To cause something to change from being concentrated at one point to being distributed across a number of points.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To reduce the authority of a governing body by distributing that authority among several bodies.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make less central

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • After the revolution, food distribution was decentralized

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: decentralize, deconcentrate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: federalize, federalise

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- English centralise English decentralise From de- + centralise.