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• edit
  edit

  verb (used with object)

  to supervise or direct the preparation of (a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.); serve as editor of; direct the editorial policies of.
• edit.
  edit.

  abbreviation

  edited.

edit

¹ American  

[ed-it] / ˈɛd ɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to supervise or direct the preparation of (a newspaper, magazine, book, etc.); serve as editor of; direct the editorial policies of.

2. to collect, prepare, and arrange (materials) for publication.

3. to revise or correct, as a manuscript.

4. to expunge; eliminate (often followed byout ).

   The author has edited out all references to his own family.

5. to add (usually followed byin ).

6. to prepare (motion-picture film, video or magnetic tape) by deleting, arranging, and splicing, by synchronizing the sound record with the film, etc.

7. Genetics. to alter the arrangement of (genes).

8. Computers. to modify or add to (data or text).

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noun

1. an instance of or the work of editing.

   automated machinery that allows a rapid edit of incoming news.

edit. ² American  

abbreviation

1. edited.

2. edition.

3. editor.

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edit British  

/ ˈɛdɪt /

verb

1. to prepare (text) for publication by checking and improving its accuracy, clarity, etc

2. to be in charge of (a publication, esp a periodical)

   he edits the local newspaper

3. to prepare (a film, tape, etc) by rearrangement, selection, or rejection of previously filmed or taped material

4. (tr) to modify (a computer file) by, for example, deleting, inserting, moving, or copying text

5. (often foll by out) to remove (incorrect or unwanted matter), as from a manuscript or film

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noun

1. informal an act of editing

   give the book a final edit

Other Word Forms

• misedit verb (used with object)
• overedit verb
• reedit verb (used with object)
• unedited adjective
• well-edited adjective

Etymology

Origin of edit

First recorded in 1785–95; 1915–20 edit for def. 6; partly back formation from editor, partly from French éditer, verb derivative of Latin ēditus “published, given out,” past participle of ēdere “to give out,” from ē- e- ¹ + -dere, combining form of dare “to give” ( cf. datum)

Explanation

The verb edit means to prepare writing for publication by correcting, revising, or proofreading. If you write for a newspaper, someone very skilled will edit your work before the public sees it. Edit can also mean to cut out. If you edit out all the references to Harry Potter from the famous series, you'll be left with much shorter books. Edit likely comes from the noun editor, meaning the person in charge of a final version of a text. You might also hear edit used when referring to video or film. If you edit a television show, for example, you assemble pieces of video or film footage to create a complete program.

Example Sentences

“I’ve made narrative films in the past, but I also work as an editor, so I edit a lot of docs. I was, like, I can do this.”

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

If you want to switch AI apps, columnist Nicole Nguyen offers guidance on how to access, edit and migrate your current AI’s memories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

“If you significantly edit an A.I.-generated text, then it becomes human, and this is a harder problem in general.”

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

The company said its software was used to edit 87% of this year’s Oscar-winning productions, including the movies “K-Pop Demon Hunters” and “One Battle After Another.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Then she shot her opening bit and her closing bit, and the camera crew drove back to Carrington to edit all the pieces and put them together into a two-minute news story.

From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements

Related Words

• adapt
• alter
• analyze
• annotate
• arrange
• assemble
• censor
• choose
• compile
• compose
• delete
• prepare
• publish
• rearrange
• revise
• select