Dedicate Meaning
/ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate.
verbTo set apart for a special use.
Sentence Examples
I dedicate this book to my daughter.
Once I retire, I will dedicate my whole time to Tatoeba.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She will ____ her time to volunteering at the local animal shelter.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I ____ this book to my daughter.
Word Origin & History
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).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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]:
"His life is dedicate to worthiness."
— 1856, George Henry Calvert, Like Unto Like:
"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., →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."
— 2015 April 8, Dracaena Paxx, The Sacred Spiral: Unlocking Ones Infinite Potential, Xlibris Corporation, →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[…]"
— 2019 November 14, Charul Palmer-Patel, The Shape of Fantasy: Investigating the Structure of American Heroic Epic Fantasy, Routledge, →ISBN:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She will ____ her time to volunteering at the local animal shelter.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I ____ this book to my daughter.