dedication

noun

ded·i·ca·tion | \ ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən

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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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.

Recent Examples on the Web

The book explicitly shows the leadership skills of retired General Mattis and his dedication to duty and to the Constitution. — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, "Letter: Mattis an ideal president with Dems in Congress," 15 Sep. 2019 But nothing has touched my heart more than his dedication to learning how to get our home together. — Melody Chiu, PEOPLE.com, "Married at First Sight's Successful Couples Open Up About What Life Is Really Like After the Show," 11 Sep. 2019 His dedication to Israel and to seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians won’t be forgotten. — Alex Pappas | Fox News, Fox News, "Jason Greenblatt, diplomat pushing Middle East peace plan, to leave Trump administration," 6 Sep. 2019 His dedication to Israel and to seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians won't be forgotten. — Emily Tillett, Kathryn Watson, CBS News, "Lead envoy for Middle East peace, Jason Greenblatt, to leave White House," 5 Sep. 2019 Owen then perceived to launch a scathing attack on fans who are critical of players that don't show loyalty, insisting this is merely a facade that supporters create around their dedication to their team, and in fact not true of footballers. — SI.com, "Michael Owen Claims Liverpool Attempted to Sell Steven Gerrard Years Before His Departure in 2015," 5 Sep. 2019 Other hikers on the trail noticed the pair, and were impressed by their dedication. — Ryan Prior, CNN, "A veteran carried a fellow Marine up a mountain after he lost his legs in Afghanistan," 27 Aug. 2019 In the late 1940s, Nathan Blumenthal sent Rand a series of fan letters, proving his dedication to her work by functionally memorizing the 750-page novel The Fountainhead, then her most popular title. — Alexander Sammon, The New Republic, "The Last of the Ayn Rand Acolytes," 14 Aug. 2019 Employees, fearing their dedication will be questioned, can view even asking about reduced or different hours as too dangerous to countenance. — Cassie Werber, Quartz at Work, "The three-stage blueprint for “crafting” a flexible career," 13 Aug. 2019

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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Last Updated

4 Oct 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

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