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dedication

American  
[ded-i-key-shuhn] / ˌdɛd ɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of dedicating.

  2. the state of being dedicated: dedicated.

    Her dedication to medicine was so great that she had time for little else.

  3. a formal, printed inscription in a book, piece of music, etc., dedicating it to a person, cause, or the like.

  4. a personal, handwritten inscription in or on a work, as by an author to a friend.

  5. a ceremony marking the official completion or opening of a public building, institution, monument, etc.


dedication British  
/ ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of dedicating or the state of being dedicated

  2. an inscription or announcement prefixed to a book, piece of music, etc, dedicating it to a person or thing

  3. complete and wholehearted devotion, esp to a career, ideal, etc

  4. a ceremony in which something, such as a church, is dedicated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

He credits his achievements not to inborn talent but to dedication and discovery.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Very few people know or have experienced how difficult that journey is, but my family, my team and I have put all of our energy, work and dedication into it to accomplish this goal."

From Barron's

His dedication to silence shifts the focus to the art and what Spear does without speaking.

From Salon

Her dedication to pursuing complicated parts about exceptionally determined women has set her far apart from her peers.

From Salon

“I’ve seen his dedication, his work ethic and the heart behind his dream, and I’ll always support him for having the courage to go after what he loves.”

From Los Angeles Times