Definition of dedication
1 religion : an act or rite of dedicating (see 2dedicate 1) to a divine being or to a sacred use the dedication of the temple
2 : a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose the dedication of funds raised from the bake sale to the class trip
3 : a name and often a message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person or cause mentioned his family in a brief dedication in his novel
4 : self-sacrificing devotion and loyalty her dedication to the cause required hard work and dedication
5 : a ceremony to mark the official completion or opening of something (such as a building) attended the building's dedication nearly fifty years ago
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dedication was our Word of the Day on 08/16/2016. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of dedication in a sentence
It took a lot of hard work and dedication, but we managed to finish the project on time.
the dedication of the temple
They celebrated the dedication of the new building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Did You Know?
The word dedication first appears in the 14th century as a name for the solemn act of dedicating something, such as a calendar day or a church, to a divine being or to a sacred use. The word—formed from the Latin past participle of dedicare, meaning "to dedicate"—did not take hold in secular contexts until a few centuries later when English speakers began using it to refer to the act of devoting time and energy to a particular purpose. One of the earliest writers to do so is William Shakespeare. "His life I gave him, and did thereto ad / My love without retention or restraint, / All his in dedication….," proclaims his character Antonio in Twelfth Night. Dedication has also come to describe the quality of being loyal or devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose. Nowadays, people are commonly spoken of as having a dedication to his or her family or work.
Origin and Etymology of dedication
see 1dedicate
First Known Use: 14th century
DEDICATION Defined for English Language Learners
dedication
playDefinition of dedication for English Language Learners
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: a feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something : the quality or state of being dedicated to a person, group, cause, etc.
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: a message at the beginning of a book, song, etc., saying that it was written or is being performed in order to honor or express affection for someone
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: the act of officially saying that something (such as a new building) was created for a particular purpose (such as worship) or to remember or honor a particular person
DEDICATION Defined for Kids
dedication
playDefinition of dedication for Students
1 : an act of setting apart for a special purpose The dedication of the park will take place today.
2 : a message at the beginning of a work of art (as a book or a song) saying that it is written or performed to honor someone
3 : extreme devotion We admire his dedication to the cause.
Law Dictionary
dedication
playLegal Definition of dedication
: a giving up of property to public use that precludes the owner from asserting any further interest in it: as a : an intentional donation of land for public use that is accepted by the proper public authorities b : intentional or negligent surrender to the public of intellectual property that could have been protected by copyright or patent
Learn More about dedication
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See words that rhyme with dedication Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dedication Spanish Central: Translation of dedication Nglish: Translation of dedication for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dedication for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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