1 : a job or duty that is given to someone : a task someone is required to do [count] ▪ My assignment was to clean the equipment. = They gave me the assignment of cleaning the equipment. ▪ The students were given a homework assignment. ▪ The reporter's assignment is to interview the candidate. ▪ The reporter is here on an assignment. [noncount] ▪ The reporter is here on assignment. 2 [noncount] : the act of assigning something or someone: such as a : the act of sending someone to a particular group or place as part of a job
▪ The article discusses the recent assignment of senators to some of the more powerful committees. ▪ her assignment to the embassy in India
b : the act of giving a particular value, identity, etc., to something
▪ the computer's assignment of a number to each image
c : the act of saying that someone has something (such as blame)
▪ the assignment of blame/responsibility
d law : the act of officially giving property or a legal right to another person
▪ the assignment of property 3 [count] : something (such as a particular position or seat) that is chosen for you to use or have
▪ She asked if she could change her seating assignment.