Definition of "surrogate" [sur•ro•gate]

• One that takes the place of another; a substitute. (noun)
• A person or animal that functions as a substitute for another, as in a social or family role. (noun)
• A surrogate mother. (noun)
• Psychology A figure of authority who takes the place of the father or mother in a person's unconscious or emotional life. (noun)
• Law A judge in New York and some other states having jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the settlement of estates. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Surely, inflation will continue in this future, and a surrogate is an infinitely more complex piece of technology than is, say, an iPod, iPhone, or the best available laptop."
• "Any evidence on health benefits is limited to improvements in surrogate measures and risk factors or to “soft” outcomes like quality of life."
• "A surrogate is a remotely controlled android, that's the personification of vanity, and acts as both a reflection of the user's ego and aspirations."