dedication

[ded-i-key-shuhn]

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• dedicational adjective
• nondedication noun
• overdedication noun
• prededication noun
• rededication noun
• self-dedication noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dedication¹

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

Bernstein further memorialized JFK in the dedication of his Third Symphony, “Kaddish.”

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At the heart of all of it was a degree of focus and dedication rarely seen up to that point in Alcaraz’s young career.

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There was so much used ticker tape lying around Wall Street, in fact, that during a parade for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty on Oct.

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"This achievement reflects the dedication of our academics, professional services staff and students, but it comes at a time of real strain for UK higher education," she said.

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“You talk about a kid that did a 360. He’s representing what I believe is important to being a captain — dedication, holding people accountable. He’s doing everything right.”

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Related Words

• adherence 
• allegiance 
• commitment 
• devotion