Meanings
plural decentralisations · alternative decentralization
- UKalternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of decentralization.
Decentralisation of the railways was provided for by the establishment of Area Boards for each Region, which began to function on January 1, 1955, and by the extended delegation of powers to the Boards and their General Managers; […].
1958 January 28, 'Borderer', “Ten Years of British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 15
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe spread of power away from the center to local branches or governments
nounthe social process in which population and industry moves from urban centers to outlying districts
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchdécentralisation
- Englishdecentralisation
From French décentralisation, decentralise + -ation or de- + centralisation.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
decentralisation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralisation
“decentralisation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralisation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “decentralisation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralisation.
Source: decentralisation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.