Meanings
dedicate1
verbdedicate (third-person singular simple present dedicates, present participle dedicating, simple past and past participle dedicated)
present singular third person dedicates · participle present dedicating · participle past dedicated · past dedicated
- transitiveTo set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate.
- transitiveTo commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action.
dedicated ourselves to starting our own business.
1 more example
Karen and Michael are currently retired in California and continue to dedicate their lives to finding their missing son. Despite the passage of time and complete lack of verified sightings, Michael and Karen have consistently stated they refuse to stop looking.
2026 July 18, Nicholas Muhoro, “Bryce Laspisa Vanished Near Castaic Lake After Spending 13 Hours Parked on a California Highway”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2026 - transitiveTo address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection.
- transitiveTo open (a building, for example) to public use.
dedicate2
adjectivededicate (comparative more dedicate, superlative most dedicate)
comparative more dedicate · superlative most dedicate
- obsoleteDedicated; set apart; devoted; consecrated.
Dedicate to nothing temporal.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]1 more example
His life is dedicate to worthiness.
1856, George Henry Calvert, Like Unto Like
noundedicate (plural dedicates)
plural dedicates
- fantasyOne who dedicates themselves, or who is dedicated, to the service of some leader, religion, etc.
Rowan Cortak stood with the rest of the dedicates.
2022 September 27, Chad Corrie, The Wizard King Trilogy Boxed Set, Dark Horse Books, →ISBN, page 243 more examples
Glancing at the crowd of onlookers, she said, “I know that service at the dining hall will be over soon”—instantly a few dedicates and all of the novices hurried away—“and some of us here would like to prepare our own meal.” […] Out of sight of the dedicates, she climbed over the short fence and escaped to Winding Circle's biggest library.
2011 September 1, Tamora Pierce, Circle of Magic #1: Sandry's Book, Scholastic Inc., →ISBNInitiation—When a dedicate is seen on all levels to be learning and doing more as they participate in the circle and aids with rituals and/or divination, an initiation is decided on with the priest or priestess and dedicate.
2015 April 8, Dracaena Paxx, The Sacred Spiral: Unlocking Ones Infinite Potential, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBNThrough this rune of compassion, feelings of pain are transferred from the dedicates to Fallion. Lord Despair then proceeds to torture the dedicates so that Fallion would feel the pain of the tortures without being physically harmed[…]
2019 November 14, Charul Palmer-Patel, The Shape of Fantasy: Investigating the Structure of American Heroic Epic Fantasy, Routledge, →ISBN
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo set apart for a special use.
Similar
set apart for religious purposes
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
verbgive entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
dedicate · verb
- Latindēdicātus
- Middle Englishdedicaten“to dedicate”
- Englishdedicate
From Middle English dedicaten (“to dedicate”), from dedicat(e) (“dedicated”, also used as the past participle of dedicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), from Latin dēdicātus, the perfect passive participle of dēdicō (“to dedicate, proclaim”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →dedicate · adjective, noun
- Latindēdicātus
- Middle Englishdedicat(e)“dedicated”
- Englishdedicate
from Middle English dedicat(e) (“dedicated”, also used as the past participle of dedicaten), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. The nouns is derived through substantivization from Latin dēdicātus, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek καθιερόω, ἐγκαινίζω
- καθιερόω (kathieróō)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- ἐγκαινίζω (enkainízō)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
Arabic كَرَّسَ, قَدَّمَ
- كَرَّسَ (karrasa)to set apart for a special use
- قَدَّمَ (qaddama)to set apart for a special use
- توفرto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
Bulgarian посвеща́вам, предназнача́вам
- посвеща́вам (posveštávam)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- предназнача́вам (prednaznačávam)to set apart for a special use
- посвеща́вам се (posveštávam se)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- надпи́свам (nadpísvam)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- откри́вам (otkrívam)to open (a building, for example) to public use
Catalan dedicar, dedicar
- dedicarto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- dedicarto set apart for a special use
- destinarto set apart for a special use
- dedicar-seto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- dedicarto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inaugurarto open (a building, for example) to public use
- inaugurarto show to the public for the first time
Chinese Mandarin 奉獻 /奉献, 獻身 /献身
- 奉獻 /奉献 (fèngxiàn)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- 獻身 /献身 (xiànshēn)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- 致力 (zhìlì)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
Czech zasvětit, předurčit
- zasvětitto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- předurčitto set apart for a special use
- věnovat seto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- věnovatto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- otevřítto open (a building, for example) to public use
- otevíratto open (a building, for example) to public use
- představitto show to the public for the first time
Dutch inwijden, wijden
- inwijdento set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- wijdento set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- bestemmento set apart for a special use
- wijdento commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- opdragento address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inwijdento open (a building, for example) to public use
- inhuldigento open (a building, for example) to public use
Finnish pyhittää, varata
- pyhittääto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- varatato set apart for a special use
- omistautuato commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- omistaato address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- vihkiäto open (a building, for example) to public use
- paljastaato show to the public for the first time
French consacrer, vouer
- consacrerto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- vouerto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- destinerto set apart for a special use
- se consacrerto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- se dévouerto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- dédierto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inaugurerto open (a building, for example) to public use
- inaugurerto show to the public for the first time
German widmen, widmen
- widmento set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- widmento set apart for a special use
- sich widmento commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- widmento address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- eröffnento open (a building, for example) to public use
- einweihento open (a building, for example) to public use
- vorstellento show to the public for the first time
- einführento show to the public for the first time
Hebrew הקדיש, התמסר
- הקדיש (hikdísh)to set apart for a special use
- התמסר (hitmasér)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- הקדיש (hikdísh)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Irish tíolaic, tíolaic
- tíolaicto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- tíolaicto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Italian consacrare, destinare
- consacrareto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- destinareto set apart for a special use
- dedicarsito commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- dedicareto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inaugurareto open (a building, for example) to public use
- inaugurareto show to the public for the first time
Japanese 捧げる, 奉納する
- 捧げる (sasageru)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- 奉納する (hōnō suru)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
Latin dēdicō, devoveo
- dēdicōto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- devoveoto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
Māori whakatapu, whakaihi
- whakataputo set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- whakaihito set apart for a special use
- kiriwhakaukato set apart for a special use
- kiriwhakaukato commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- whakaūto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- whakaihito commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
Norwegian dedikere
- dedikereto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Polish przeznaczać, przeznaczyć
- przeznaczaćto set apart for a special use
- przeznaczyćto set apart for a special use
- dedykowaćto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- zadedykowaćto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Portuguese dedicar, dedicar
- dedicarto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- dedicarto set apart for a special use
- dedicarto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- dedicarto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inaugurarto open (a building, for example) to public use
- inaugurarto show to the public for the first time
Romanian dedica
- dedicato address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Russian посвяща́ть, посвяти́ть
- посвяща́ть (posvjaščátʹ)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- посвяти́ть (posvjatítʹ)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- предназнача́ть (prednaznačátʹ)to set apart for a special use
- предназна́чить (prednaznáčitʹ)to set apart for a special use
- посвяща́ть себя́ (posvjaščátʹ sebjá)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- посвяти́ть себя́ (posvjatítʹ sebjá)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- надпи́сывать (nadpísyvatʹ)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- надписа́ть (nadpisátʹ)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- посвяща́ть (posvjaščátʹ)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- посвяти́ть (posvjatítʹ)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- открыва́ть (otkryvátʹ)to open (a building, for example) to public use
- откры́ть (otkrýtʹ)to open (a building, for example) to public use
Scottish Gaelic coisrig, coisrig
- coisrigto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- coisrigto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- coisrigto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Spanish dedicar, dedicar
- dedicarto set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- dedicarto set apart for a special use
- destinarto set apart for a special use
- dedicarseto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- dedicarto address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- inaugurarto open (a building, for example) to public use
- inaugurarto show to the public for the first time
Swedish viga, tillägna
- vigato set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- tillägnato set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- vigato set apart for a special use
- reserverato set apart for a special use
- vigato commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- hängeto commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- tillägnato address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
- invigato open (a building, for example) to public use
- invigato show to the public for the first time
- öppnato show to the public for the first time
Ukrainian присвя́чувати, присвяти́ти
- присвя́чувати (prysvjáčuvaty)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- присвяти́ти (prysvjatýty)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- посвя́чувати (posvjáčuvaty)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- посвяща́ти (posvjaščáty)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- посвяти́ти (posvjatýty)to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate
- признача́ти (pryznačáty)to set apart for a special use
- присвя́чувати себе́ (prysvjáčuvaty sebé)to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action
- підпи́сувати (pidpýsuvaty)to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection
Cite this entry
APA
dedicate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedicate
MLA
“dedicate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedicate. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dedicate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedicate.
Source: dedicate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.