dedicate

UK: /ˈdɛdɪkeɪt/

US: /ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/

US: (v. ded′i kāt′; adj. ded′i kit)

Inflections of 'dedicate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dedicates

v 3rd person singular

dedicating

v pres p

dedicated

v past

dedicated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ded•i•cate /ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/   v., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. [ ~ + obj + to + obj] to devote or commit (something or someone) to some cause:
   He dedicated himself to the clean-up of the river.
2. [ ~ + obj + to + obj] to offer (something) formally to a person or cause as a sign of respect:
   I'd like to dedicate our first song to my mother.
3. [ ~ + obj] to mark the official opening of (a public building or highway), by formal ceremonies:
   The school dedicated the new building on Sunday.
4. [ ~ + obj] to set aside for a specific purpose:
   dedicated the money to charity.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ded•i•cate  (v. ded′i kāt′;adj. ded′i kit), v., -cat•ed, -cat•ing, adj. 
v.t. 

1. to set apart and consecrate to a deity or to a sacred purpose:
   The ancient Greeks dedicated many shrines to Aphrodite.
2. to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose:
   He dedicated his life to fighting corruption.
3. to offer formally (a book, piece of music, etc.) to a person, cause, or the like in testimony of affection or respect, as on a prefatory page.
4. (loosely) to inscribe a personal signature on (a book, drawing, etc., that is one's own work), usually with a salutation addressing the recipient.
5. to mark the official completion or opening of (a public building, monument, highway, etc.), usually by formal ceremonies.
6. to set aside for or assign to a specific function, task, or purpose:
   The county health agency has dedicated one inspector to monitor conditions in nursing homes.

adj. 

7. dedicated.

• Latin dēdicātus past participle of dēdicāre to declare, devote, equivalent. to dē- de- + dicāre to indicate, consecrate, akin to dīcere to say, speak (see dictate)
• late Middle English (verb, verbal and adjective, adjectival) 1375–1425

ded′i•ca′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See devote. 
• 2. commit, pledge, consecrate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dedicate / ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. (often followed by to) to devote (oneself, one's time, etc) wholly to a special purpose or cause; commit wholeheartedly or unreservedly
2. (followed by to) to address or inscribe (a book, artistic performance, etc) to a person, cause, etc as a token of affection or respect
3. (followed by to) to request or play (a record) on radio for another person as a greeting
4. to assign or allocate to a particular project, function, etc
5. to set apart for a deity or for sacred uses; consecrate

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin dēdicāre to announce, from dicāre to make known, variant of dīcere to say

ˈdediˌcator noun

dedicatory / ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪtərɪ ˈdɛdɪkətərɪ -trɪ/, ˈdediˌcative adjective