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dedication

noun
ded·​i·​ca·​tion | \ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce dedication (audio) \

Definition of dedication

1 religion : an act or rite of dedicating (see dedicate entry 2 sense 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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Other Words from dedication

dedicatory \ ˈde-​di-​kə-​ˌtȯr-​ē How to pronounce dedicatory (audio) \ adjective

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.

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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Later on, his dedication for the infant son of a young Ethiopian woman who has befriended him leads him to feed and care for the toddler when the mother goes missing one day. — Soren Andersen, The Seattle Times, "‘Capernaum’: A street kid in Beirut tries to do the right thing in powerful Oscar-nominated film," 5 Feb. 2019 Laika makes some of the most wonderful-looking films today thanks to its dedication to incredible miniatures and stop-motion animation. — Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge, "New trailers: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, UglyDolls, and more," 10 Nov. 2018 Jason Hughes was named Exchange Club Officer of The Year, winning the award for his willingness to share his wealth of knowledge and his dedication to the community. — Hayley Harding, Courant Community, "Officers, Citizens Honored At Farmington Police Department Ceremony," 8 June 2018 Alex Rodriguez has long exhibited PDD (public display of dedication!) to his partner Jennifer Lopez, capturing both her performances and her red carpet appearances. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Now We Know Who Takes All of Bella Hadid’s Best Paparazzi Pictures," 28 Jan. 2019 There's a lot of smart people in it, and there's a lot of dedication. — Alexa Eschert, Teen Vogue, "Dizzy Fae Opens Up About a Year in the Spotlight," 29 Nov. 2018 To go from that straight to your friend's wedding is a sign of true dedication. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Tom Hardy Got a Royal Wedding Invite For a "Deeply Private" Reason," 8 Aug. 2018 One story in particular, gives a clear picture of his dedication. — Marc Narducci, Philly.com, "It took him three years to win the starting QB job, and Temple's Frank Nutile doesn't plan to give it up," 26 June 2018 Governor Jodi Rell officially proclaimed March 31, 2010 BRIAN BAKER DAY in the State of Connecticut to recognize his years of dedication. — courant.com, "Brian T. Baker," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dedication.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of dedication

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for dedication

see dedicate entry 1

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Last Updated

8 Mar 2019

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The first known use of dedication was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for dedication

dedication

noun
How to pronounce dedication (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of dedication

: 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.
: 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
: 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

See the full definition for dedication in the English Language Learners Dictionary

dedication

noun
ded·​i·​ca·​tion | \ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce dedication (audio) \

Kids Definition of dedication

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.

dedication

noun
ded·​i·​ca·​tion | \ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce dedication (audio) \

Legal 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

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More from Merriam-Webster on dedication

Rhyming Dictionary: 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

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