dedicate

See also: dedícate and dediĉate

English

Etymology

From Latin dēdicātus, past participle of dēdicō (“I dedicate, proclaim”).

Pronunciation

• (verb): (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/
• (adjective, noun): (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛdɪˌkɪt/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Verb

dedicate (third-person singular simple present dedicates, present participle dedicating, simple past and past participle dedicated)

1. (transitive) To set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate.
2. (transitive) To set apart for a special use

   dedicated their money to scientific research.

3. (transitive) To commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action

   dedicated ourselves to starting our own business.

4. (transitive) To address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection.
5. (transitive) To open (a building, for example) to public use.
6. (transitive) To show to the public for the first time

   dedicate a monument.

Synonyms

• (set apart for religious purposes): behallow, hallow; see also Thesaurus:consecrate
• (set apart for a special use): allocate, earmark; see also Thesaurus:set apart
• (commit to a particular course): devote

Derived terms

• rededicate

Translations

to set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate

• Belarusian: пасвяча́ць impf (pasvjačácʹ), пасвяці́ць pf (pasvjacícʹ), прысвяча́ць impf (prysvjačácʹ), прысвяці́ць pf (prysvjacícʹ)
• Bulgarian: посвеща́вам (bg) impf (posveštávam)
• Catalan: dedicar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 奉獻／奉献 (zh) (fèngxiàn)

• Czech: zasvětit pf
• Dutch: inwijden (nl), wijden (nl)
• Finnish: pyhittää (fi)
• French: consacrer (fr), vouer (fr)
• German: widmen (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: καθιερόω (kathieróō), ἐγκαινίζω (enkainízō)

• Italian: consacrare (it)
• Japanese: 捧げる (ささげる, sasageru), 奉納する (ja) (ほうのうする, hōnō suru)
• Kazakh: бағыш ету (bağyş etu), бағыштау (bağyştau)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: پێشکەش کردن‎ (pêşkeş kirdin)

• Latin: dēdicō, devoveo
• Maori: whakatapu
• Portuguese: dedicar (pt)
• Russian: посвяща́ть (ru) impf (posvjaščátʹ), посвяти́ть (ru) pf (posvjatítʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: coisrig
• Spanish: dedicar (es)
• Swedish: viga (sv), tillägna (sv)
• Ukrainian: присвя́чувати impf (prysvjáčuvaty), присвяти́ти pf (prysvjatýty), посвя́чувати impf (posvjáčuvaty), посвяща́ти impf (posvjaščáty), посвяти́ти pf (posvjatýty)
• Walloon: dicåçter (wa)

to set apart for a special use

• Arabic: كَرَّسَ‎ (karrasa), قَدَّمَ‎ (ar) (qaddama)
• Bulgarian: предназнача́вам (bg) impf (prednaznačávam)
• Catalan: dedicar (ca), destinar (ca)
• Czech: předurčit pf
• Dutch: bestemmen (nl)
• Finnish: varata (fi)
• French: destiner (fr)
• German: widmen (de)
• Hebrew: הקדיש‎ (hikdísh)
• Italian: destinare (it)
• Maori: whakaihi, kiriwhakauka
• Middle English: biquethen
• Polish: dedcykować
• Portuguese: dedicar (pt)
• Russian: предназнача́ть (ru) impf (prednaznačátʹ), предназна́чить (ru) pf (prednaznáčitʹ)
• Spanish: dedicar (es), destinar (es)
• Swedish: viga (sv), reservera (sv)
• Ukrainian: признача́ти (pryznačáty)

to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action

• Arabic: توفر‎ (ar)
• Armenian: նվիրվել (hy) (nvirvel)
• Bulgarian: посвеща́вам се (bg) impf (posveštávam se)
• Catalan: dedicar-se
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 獻身／献身 (zh) (xiànshēn), 致力 (zh) (zhìlì)

• Czech: věnovat se (cs) impf
• Dutch: wijden (nl)
• Finnish: omistautua (fi)
• French: se consacrer (fr), se dévouer (fr)
• German: sich widmen
• Hebrew: התמסר‎ (hitmasér)
• Italian: dedicarsi (it)
• Maori: kiriwhakauka, whakaū, whakaihi
• Portuguese: dedicar (pt)
• Russian: посвяща́ть себя́ (ru) impf (posvjaščátʹ sebjá), посвяти́ть себя́ (ru) pf (posvjatítʹ sebjá)
• Scottish Gaelic: coisrig
• Spanish: dedicarse
• Swedish: viga (sv), hänge (sv)
• Ukrainian: присвя́чувати себе́ (prysvjáčuvaty sebé)

to address or inscribe (a literary work, for example) to another as a mark of respect or affection

• Armenian: նվիրել (hy) (nvirel)
• Bulgarian: надпи́свам (bg) impf (nadpísvam)
• Catalan: dedicar (ca)
• Czech: věnovat (cs) pf
• Dutch: opdragen (nl)
• Finnish: omistaa (fi)
• French: dédier (fr)
• German: widmen (de)
• Hebrew: הקדיש‎ (hikdísh)
• Italian: dedicare (it)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: پێشکەش کردن‎ (pêşkeş kirdin)

• Norwegian: dedikere (no)
• Polish: dedykować (pl) impf, zadedykować (pl) pf
• Portuguese: dedicar (pt)
• Russian: надпи́сывать (ru) impf (nadpísyvatʹ), надписа́ть (ru) pf (nadpisátʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: coisrig
• Spanish: dedicar (es)
• Swedish: tillägna (sv)
• Ukrainian: підпи́сувати (pidpýsuvaty)
• Walloon: dicåçter (wa)

to open (a building, for example) to public use

• Bulgarian: откри́вам (bg) impf (otkrívam)
• Catalan: inaugurar (ca)
• Czech: otevřít (cs) pf, otevírat (cs) impf
• Dutch: inwijden (nl), inhuldigen (nl)
• Finnish: vihkiä (fi)
• French: inaugurer (fr)
• Italian: inaugurare (it)
• Portuguese: inaugurar (pt)
• Russian: (торже́ственно) открыва́ть (ru) impf (otkryvátʹ), откры́ть (ru) pf (otkrýtʹ)
• Spanish: inaugurar (es)
• Swedish: inviga (sv)

to show to the public for the first time

• Catalan: inaugurar (ca)
• Czech: představit (cs) pf
• Finnish: paljastaa (fi)
• French: inaugurer (fr)
• Italian: inaugurare (it)
• Portuguese: inaugurar (pt)
• Russian: (торже́ственно) открыва́ть (ru) impf (otkryvátʹ), откры́ть (ru) pf (otkrýtʹ)
• Spanish: inaugurar (es)
• Swedish: inviga (sv), öppna (sv)

Adjective

dedicate (comparative more dedicate, superlative most dedicate)

1. (obsolete) Dedicated; set apart; devoted; consecrated.
   • 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]:

     Dedicate to nothing temporal.

   • 1856, George Henry Calvert, Like Unto Like:

     His life is dedicate to worthiness.

Noun

dedicate (plural dedicates)

1. (chiefly fantasy and paganism) One who dedicates themself, or who is dedicated, to the service of some leader, religion, etc.
   • 2011 September 1, Tamora Pierce, Circle of Magic #1: Sandry's Book, Scholastic Inc., →ISBN:

     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.

   • 2015 April 8, Dracaena Paxx, The Sacred Spiral: Unlocking Ones Infinite Potential, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN:

     Initiation—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.

   • 2019 November 14, Charul Palmer-Patel, The Shape of Fantasy: Investigating the Structure of American Heroic Epic Fantasy, Routledge, →ISBN:

     Through 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 […]

   • 2022 September 27, Chad Corrie, The Wizard King Trilogy Boxed Set, Dark Horse Books, →ISBN, page 24:

     Rowan Cortak stood with the rest of the dedicates.

Italian

Etymology 1

Verb

dedicate

1. inflection of dedicare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

Participle

dedicate f pl

1. feminine plural of dedicato

Latin

Verb

dēdicāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of dēdicō

Spanish

Verb

dedicate

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of dedicar combined with te