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edify

[ ed-uh-fahy ]
/ ˈɛd əˌfaɪ /
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See synonyms for: edify / edifying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ed·i·fied, ed·i·fy·ing.
to instruct or benefit, especially morally or spiritually; uplift: religious paintings that edify the viewer.
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Origin of edify

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English edifien, from Anglo-French, Old French edifier, from Latin aedificāre “to build,” equivalent to aedi- (stem of aedes ) “house, temple” + -ficāre -fy

OTHER WORDS FROM edify

ed·i·fi·er, nounnon·ed·i·fied, adjectivere·ed·i·fy, verb (used with object), re·ed·i·fied, re·ed·i·fy·ing.un·ed·i·fied, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use edify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for edify

edify
/ (ˈɛdɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied
(tr) to improve the morality, intellect, etc, of, esp by instruction

Derived forms of edify

edifier, nounedifying, adjectiveedifyingly, adverb

Word Origin for edify

C14: from Old French edifier, from Latin aedificāre to construct, from aedēs a dwelling, temple + facere to make
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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