dedication

American  

[ded-i-key-shuhn] / ˌdɛd ɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of dedicating.

2. the state of being 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

---

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!"

Example Sentences

Since its dedication 100 years ago, Los Angeles Central Library has survived demolition threats, major arson fires and earthquakes.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

In a truly remarkable story of hard work, endurance, talent and dedication, the pair are still at the top of the sport three decades on and will go head-to-head in the last 16 on Saturday.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

That Jobsian dedication to detail is back atop Apple.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

It takes dedication, problem-solving skills and a lot of free time to be one of the best “WoW” players in the world, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Located minutes from downtown San Francisco, a baseball’s throw from where the San Francisco Giants play, it is a gleaming example of a new dedication to understanding the workings of the human brain.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• adherence
• allegiance
• commitment
• devotion