dedication

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 Like all of Foster's students who spoke with Smithsonian, Whittington recalls his visionary dedication to preserving Latin by keeping it alive in everyday conversation. — Ted Scheinman, Smithsonian Magazine, "Father Reginald Foster Used Latin to Bring History Into the Present," 30 Dec. 2020 Her dedication as a teacher and leader of people is unmatched. — Los Angeles Times, "Letters: How do you lose to the Jets? Ask the Rams," 25 Dec. 2020 Baldwin was selected due to his dedication to making a difference in his community. — Shirley Macfarland, cleveland, "Strongsville student named Male Semper Fidelis All-American of the Year," 24 Dec. 2020 Their teachers show up; maintain their essential equilibrium; and find ways, even on Zoom, to let pupils feel their dedication and support coming through the screen. — James Carroll, The New Yorker, "What the Era of Trump and the Coronavirus May Teach America’s Children," 21 Dec. 2020 His action clearly shows his dedication to the cult of Trump vs. to the Constitution. — Star Tribune, "Readers Write: Election lawsuits, Minneapolis police, COVID closures," 11 Dec. 2020 Pinkett Smith and her family aren't afraid to say what many others are thinking, bolstered by their wide-ranging audience and their dedication to addressing underlying issues. — Erum Salam, Marie Claire, "Olivia Jade's Red Table Talk Appearance and the Power of Black Female Forgiveness," 10 Dec. 2020 Celebrate their dedication to the brand with this personalized reusable cup. — Victoria Giardina, CNN Underscored, "22 personalized gifts from Etsy to add to your cart this year," 8 Dec. 2020 Named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers, ranchers and foresters who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat on private, working land. — Kathy Stephenson, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Cattle ranchers in Coalville honored for improving land, water and wildlife habitat," 27 Nov. 2020

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

9 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Dedication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dedication. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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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