dedication
Americannoun
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the act of dedicating.
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the state of being dedicated: dedicated.
Her dedication to medicine was so great that she had time for little else.
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a formal, printed inscription in a book, piece of music, etc., dedicating it to a person, cause, or the like.
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a personal, handwritten inscription in or on a work, as by an author to a friend.
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a ceremony marking the official completion or opening of a public building, institution, monument, etc.
noun
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the act of dedicating or the state of being dedicated
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an inscription or announcement prefixed to a book, piece of music, etc, dedicating it to a person or thing
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complete and wholehearted devotion, esp to a career, ideal, etc
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a ceremony in which something, such as a church, is dedicated
Other Word Forms
- dedicational adjective
- nondedication noun
- overdedication noun
- prededication noun
- rededication noun
- self-dedication noun
Etymology
Origin of dedication
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dedicacioun, from Latin dēdicātiōn-, stem of dēdicātiō, literally, “a declaring,” equivalent to dēdicāt(us) “declared, devoted” (past participle of dēdicāre; dedicate ) + -iō -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the intervening weeks, he held interviews and wrote letters from his jail cell, denouncing slavery and captivating the country with his dedication and resolve.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
"They feel that their dedication to their studies isn't worth it because of the situation in Venezuela," she says.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
That he didn’t just crush the egg and spit it out is testament either to his dedication or his madness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement Saturday saying, “I’m disappointed by Fesia Davenport’s decision to step down. Her dedication and accomplishments over nearly three decades have left a lasting impact on Los Angeles County.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026
Her dedication to church was like my commitment to becoming the world’s greatest scientist.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
