# assign

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈsaɪn/ · frequency rank #11,836

## Definitions
1. To designate or set apart (something) for some purpose.
2. To appoint or select (someone) for some office.
3. To allot or give (something) as a task.
4. To attribute or sort (something) into categories.
5. To attribute or sort (something) into categories.
6. To transfer (property, a legal right, etc.) from one person to another.
7. To give (a value) to a variable.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd
Proto-Italic *ad
Proto-Italic *ad-
Latin ad-
Latin signō
Latin assignōlbor.
Old French assignerbor.
Middle English assignen
English assign
From Middle English assignen, from Old French assigner, asigner, from Latin assignō, from ad- + signō (“mark, sign”).

## Easily confused with
- **assist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assign-vs-assist)
- **assigned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/assign-vs-assigned)
- **Asian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asian-vs-assign)
- **align** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-assign)
- **Askin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askin-vs-assign)

## Common misspellings (7)
`asign`, `asisgn`, `assgin`, `assiggn`, `assignn`, `assing`, `sasign`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/assign