devotion
Americannoun
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devotions
plural
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profound dedication, especially to religion.
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earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.
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an assignment or appropriation to any purpose, cause, etc..
the devotion of one's wealth and time to scientific advancement.
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Ecclesiastical. Often devotions religious observance or worship; a form of prayer or worship for special use.
noun
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(often foll by to) strong attachment (to) or affection (for a cause, person, etc) marked by dedicated loyalty
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religious zeal; piety
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(often plural) religious observance or prayers
Usage
What are other ways to say devotion? The noun devotion refers to profound dedication or earnest attachment to a cause, person, or deity. How does devotion compare to love and affection? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of devotion
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English devocioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin dēvōtiōn-, stem of dēvōtiō “consecration, enchantment, vow”; equivalent to devote + -ion
Explanation
If you feel loyal and loving toward someone or something, that's devotion. If your devotion to your pet hamster truly knows no limits, you might splurge on a solid-gold hamster wheel. Devotion also means a commitment or dedication to some purpose. Your devotion recycling is noble, but can you wait until I've read the newspaper? The plural noun devotions can have a religious meaning too, meaning prayers offered to God. You heard the minister was hired for his devotion to God, but the fact that he fell asleep during devotions made you wonder.
Vocabulary lists containing devotion
Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" (1863)
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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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.
See Examples For:
The indictment in “Freefall,” which names Mr. McNerney, his successor Dennis Muilenburg and their successor, Mr. Calhoun, cites management’s devotion to increasing the company’s stock price and shareholder profits at the risk of their passengers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
"While we honor his devotion, human life is precious and must be preserved to serve the long-term struggle for Tibet," Tsering said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
You can see their devotion in outdoor backdrops that are deliriously false, in sight gags that reference Cronenberg and Carpenter or in production design that includes the perfect nostalgic ’90s video store carpet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Another man had a shallot tattooed on his forearm, suggesting either a career behind the line or an allium devotion I could not hope to match.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Her face grew set in its lines, but her eyes shone with the devotion of a martyr as she answered:—
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
The church knew that its faithful — Germans, Irish, Italians, Czechs, Poles, Italians, Latinos and so many more — needed a safe space to maintain their devotions and customs while navigating a new land.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2023
Local Christians also stand out as they join the devotions, with Palestinian and Armenian scout groups leading religious processions.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2023
Every morning, between checking the levels of his oxygen tanks and cooking breakfast, he reads devotions with his wife.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2022
Buddhists use such statues to help focus their devotions and to contemplate the virtues of the religion’s founder.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2021
The priests filed out to the god-ring to do their devotions.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
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.
