dedication
Americannoun
-
the act of dedicating.
-
the state of being dedicated.
Her dedication to medicine was so great that she had time for little else.
-
a formal, printed inscription in a book, piece of music, etc., dedicating it to a person, cause, or the like.
-
a personal, handwritten inscription in or on a work, as by an author to a friend.
-
a ceremony marking the official completion or opening of a public building, institution, monument, etc.
noun
-
the act of dedicating or the state of being dedicated
-
an inscription or announcement prefixed to a book, piece of music, etc, dedicating it to a person or thing
-
complete and wholehearted devotion, esp to a career, ideal, etc
-
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; see dedicate) + -iō -ion
Explanation
Dedication means "committing yourself to something," like your dedication to marathon training that had you running every single morning for four months. Dedication can be complete devotion and faith in someone or something, like your dedication to your family, a ceremony in which something is officially named, like the dedication of a new building. Another kind of dedication is a short message written to someone, like the dedication "Happy Birthday, Uncle Fred," which you write inside the book you give him, or something extra added to an autograph, like "To my greatest fan!"
Vocabulary lists containing dedication
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
It's Lit: Hanukkah Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
That Jobsian dedication to detail is back atop Apple.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
“We’re allowed to be in this world because of what she built, her dedication, her vision.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
A government spokeswoman said the vaccine programme was "unprecedented" and reflected the strength of the UK's world-leading life sciences sector, the universal public health system and the extraordinary dedication of health and care staff.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Dentsu said: “Our dedication to delivering value and maintaining the highest standards of compliance is unchanged.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
In a way she admired his dedication to the odd project.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
